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Followed by Tom Hb Rushed Out of the Room 


LIEUTENANT 
COMSTOCK, 
U. S. MARINE 

By 

Lieut.-Col. Giles Bishop, Jr. 

United States Marine Corps 
Author of 

*^The Marines lia^e Landed** 

*^The Marines Have Advanced*' 



Illustrated by 
Donald S. Humphreys 

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 
PHILADELPHIA 
1922 



COPYRIGHT 
1922 BY 
THE PENN 
PUBLISHING 
COMPANY 







Lieutenant Comstock, U. S. Marine 


Made in the U. S. A. 


OCT -6 '22 


©ciAesoooo 


1 


To those patient, faithful members of the United 
States Marine Corps who, landing in France with 
the first American contingent to cross the At- 
lantic, and who for weary months cheerfully per- 
formed their duties in the back areas, hoping al- 
most against hope that some day they would be 
permitted to engage in active encounter with the 
enemy ; and to those others who followed and 
with them so efficiently upheld the honor and 
prestige of the corps ; to those men who, no matter 
what the reverses, continued to sing their famous 
hymn no matter what the task ; to the United 
States Marines, this book is admiringly dedicated 




Introduction 


Although the first fleet of transports crossing 
the Atlantic to carry a real fighting force from the 
United States to the shores of the Old World in 
1917 took with them a regiment of the Uhited 
States Marine Corps, it was many months before 
any of these sea-soldiers heard the roar of the 
mighty strife taking place in the forward areas of 
the long battle line. Other units of this first force 
were sent into training areas at the start, but the 
marines kept up their first duties in the Service of 
Supply long after the majority of their fellow 
travellers had been relieved and sent onward. 

Their disappointment was keen but nevertheless 
they continued to “ carry on ” in a manner which 
won the admiration of all. While performing their 
duties they had many curious happenings which 
fail to appear on the official records, and as these 
duties were largely provost and M. P. work they 
often came in close contact with the extensive spy 
system which the Germans maintained in France 
even to the end of the hostilities. 

In this book some of their experiences are told, 
5 


INTRODUCTION 


together with a few facts regarding their training 
and later their trench warfare; and it will be found 
that in France, Dick Comstock meets many of his 
former chums and schoolmates and that together 
they work out many interesting problems. 

The Authok. 


6 


Contents 


I. 

The Marine Regiment Broken Up 

• 


ir 

II. 

The Electric Dish Washer 

• 


22 

III. 

The World is Small 



30 

IV. 

The Sword of the Mamelukes . 



42 

V. 

Le Cercle Patriotique Francaise 



56 

VI. 

Ursula Tells a Ghost Story . 



75 

VII. 

Off for the Training Area 



92 

VIII. 

M. Sandeau Drives His Own Car 



106 

IX. 

Von Etten’s White Elephants 



117 

X. 

The “ Red Men ” Go Into Billets 



130 

XI. 

Frank Richards Loses the Trail 



144 

XII. 

The Chateau in the Woods 



159 

XIII. 

Bayonets, Bombs and Gas . 



178 

XIV. 

Marines in the Trenches . 



196 

XV. 

Tommy Evens Scores with Mike 



220 

XVI. 

Dick Goes to Paris . 



236 

XVII. 

Ninon’s Discovery 



248 

XVIII. 

Little Pierre Leads the Way , 



265 

XIX. 

The Forgotten Door 



278 

XX. 

Like Mice in a Trap . 



288 

XXI. 

“ The Three Mus-kee-ters ” 



299 

XXII. 

Into the Shadows 



309 

XXIII. 

A Few Surprises 



325 

XXIV. 

“ Always on the Job ” 

• 


337 

XXV. 

The Marines Arrive 

• 


347 


7 



Illustrations 


PAGE 


Followed by Tom he Rushed Out of the Room 

Frontispiece 

“You Will Give Me the Keys to Your Luggage” 120 
He Threw His Body Protectingly Over the 

Old Sergeant 233 

Eagerly Dick and Frank Scrutinized the 

Windows ....... 275 

“Where is My Sister? Where is Miss Faure?” . 352 


Lieutenant Comstock, U. S. Marine 




Lieutenant Comstock, U. S 
Marine 


CHAPTER I 

THE MARINE REGIMENT IS BROKEN UP 

“ Stand by, on the DeKalb there, to catch our 
heaving-lines ! ” 

The raucous voices of the naval officers stand- 
ing on the decks of the U. S. S. Henderson rose 
above the din of cheering of thousands of French 
citizens, who had been waiting since early morning 
for the ships bearing the first American army across 
the Atlantic to enter the inner basin of the harbor 
of St. Nazaire, and make fast to the quay. 

Already the DeKalb, formerly the Hamburg- 
American liner, Printz Eitel Friedrich, which had 
been interned in the United States at the outbreak 
of hostilities in Europe in August, 1914, and now 
was a troop transport with the letters “ U. S. S.” 
preceding her name, had made fast to the sea-wall. 

Slowly the Henderson warped her way along- 
side. The heavy hawsers were made fast and gang- 
ways across and between the two vessels were 
rigged so that communication with the shore might 

II 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


be facilitated. Soon the men from the two vessels 
were fraternizing and exchanging views of their 
experiences during the momentous voyage just 
completed. 

On shore the citizens of St. Nazaire still con- 
tinued in their enthusiastic greeting. Old men, old 
women, middle-aged women, young women and 
children of both sexes were there, gazing at the 
great ships crowded with marines, their eyes alight 
with a new hope at this palxDable evidence that their 
prayers for help were being answered at last. And, 
too, there were tears — but tears of joy which 
coursed down care-worn, furrowed cheeks, for every 
man on board those ships was as a god, bringing to 
a war-worn, war-torn nation, the hope of peace and 
plenty. 

“ Do you notice the scarcity of young men in that 
crowd ashore? ” asked a major of marines, address- 
ing a tall, broad-shouldered, narrow- waisted, young 
officer, who wore his uniform as though he had been 
born to it, so well did it look in every particular. 

“ I was thinking of that, sir, and I was thinking 
also that never before have I seen so many women 
wearing mourning.” 

“ Yes, Lieutenant Comstock, not only here but 
in every city, in every town, in every province you 
will find it to be the case, and I imagine it is so in 
every portion of this unhappy continent. This has 
12 


[7. S. MARINE 

been the Krlost sanguinary war in the history of tKe 
world. Never before have such numbers of men 
become involved in a conflict of arms, and as a 
necessary result human life has been sacrificed ap- 
pallingly. France has sent practically her entire 
quota of able-bodied men to the front. None now 
remain except those too old or too young to carry 
arms. They have even taken mere boys into their 
ranks and the rapacious maw of the Boche has swal- 
lowed them, and still is swallowing them, wholesale. 
I firmly believe that our coming will turn the tide 
in favor of the Allies and bring victory to the side 
of right and liberty.” 

Lieutenant Dick Comstock, United States Ma- 
rine Corps, did not answer for a time, but stood 
watching the scene before him, curiously. From 
the decks of the ships, already the free-handed, gen- 
erous-hearted Yankees were throwing coins, — bits 
of silver and copper, to the scrambling youngsters 
on shore, and laughing immoderately at the antics 
of these foreign children as they scrambled about in 
their eagerness to win the prizes. Little they cared 
for the intrinsic value of the piece — whether it came 
from the mint of Uncle Sam, or the depleted treas- 
uries of Haiti, Santo Domingo or Mexico.* They 

’ The Marines making up the Fifth Regiment were taken from 
duties ashore in many countries and from vessels of the fleets in 
many seas ; hence the variety of coins. 

1.3 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

were souvenirs of America’s advent into the imghty 
conflict and as such were valuable on that account 
alone. And so the children, in their odd dress, and 
wearing their wooden sabots, clattered and clut- 
tered over the cobblestones in eager chase of the 
far-flung coins, while interested groups formed 
about the prize winners to compare and comment 
on each individual find. 

“ When do you believe we are to land, sir? ” Dick 
finally asked of the major who had remained stand- 
ing near by. 

“ No news as yet, but I imagine to-day or to- 
morrow at the latest. You see our camp site is some 
distance outside the city and we are going under 
canvas, which means we must construct our own 
camp — pitch the tents and all that. The remainder 
of the regiment will be in on the Hancock in a day 
or two, and possibly we will wait for them.” 

“ Some of the officers of the DeKalb say that 
their experiences with the U-boats were very excit- 
ing and there were some close calls,” said Dick. “ I 
hope the rest come through all right.” 

“ Ye», the DeKalb was bracketed by a couple of 
torpedoes one day. One of them passed just ahead 
of her and the other astern. It happened a few 
days later than the attack on us, but we were for- 
tunate and I hope that such will prove to be the case 
with the old Hancock/' 


14 


U. S. MARINE 


A stir on the decks of the DeKalb attracted the 
attention of Dick and the major. 

“ Hello ! It looks as if this battalion was going 
ashore,” said the older man, and such proved to be 
the case, for the orders were quickly passed along 
the decks and soon amidst the deafening cheers of 
the people assembled there, the First Battalion of 
the Fifth Regiment, U. S. Marines, were marching 
through the streets of St. Nazaire, to their quarters. 

The following day, when the Second and Third 
Battalions went for a practice march, the dream of 
Dick’s life for the past three years had come true — 
he was at last on French soil, ready and eager to 



coNDfMenrr cans 

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UAffirtA TENT PEGS AMO 
<JO/NTfO POLt 


W£AA 

TAOUSERS 


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SAYONir 


PAN 


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give his life if need be in this fight against brutality 
and opi^ression. 


15 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

The day after this eventful episode, a camp site 
iiaving been selected, the tents began to appear like 
magic, and in “ less than no time,” as First Ser- 
geant Jim Calkins said, and under the curious and 
astonished gaze of thousands of natives, a khaki- 
colored village had grown up in the vacant field, 
and the marines were comfortably housed and glad 
indeed to be off the crowded transports. 

But the regiment was not destined to remain to- 
gether for very long, and it was with much disap- 
pointment that Dick learned on awaking one morn- 
ing about the middle of July that his battalion had 
been detailed to remain behind at St. Nazaire to 
perform guard and provost duties, while the rest of 
the regiment was sent on to a camp in the training 
area. 

“ Just rotten luck’s what I call it, Looten’t,” re- 
marked First Sergeant Calkins of Dick’s own com- 
pany. “ Here we fellows have to stick on here 
guarding a lot of stores and such junk, mules and 
other four-legged things over at the remount sta- 
tion, do tedious M. P.' work in and around St. Na- 
zaire itself and goodness knows what all, and those 
other fellows going right on to the front and having 
those flossy looking, French, All-pine Shaw-shaws * 
showing them all the dope — before us. Why, 
they’ll know the whole works and be licking the 

^ M, P., Military Police. * Chasseurs Alpins. 

i6 


U. S. MARINE 


Bosh* to a standstill, and we back here, tending 
braying asses and arresting doughboys and flatfeet * 
who think this Frenchie’s claret is made to swim in 
instead of using it to clear your throat while eat- 
ing.” 

“ Oh, never mind, Jim,” said Dick, trying to 
pacify the irate sergeant; “see old Dorian over 
there taking the whole thing philosophically. I 
guess if he thought he wouldn’t have as good a 
chance as the others he wouldn’t be looking so satis- 
fied and contented.” 

Before Dick Comstock had won his commission 
as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps, he had 
served over five years as an enlisted man ; going up 
through the various grades from drummer-boy to 
sergeant, and during that time he had been great 
friends with Sergeants Dorian and Calkins. Had 
eaten with them, slept side by side with them, 
fought with them, consequently he was in a position 
to gauge correctly the feeling of both his old 
friends, and to tell the truth of the matter, Dick felt 
more at ease with these former shipmates and 
bunkies than he did with the officers with whom he 
had now, perforce, to make his friends and asso- 
ciates. 

In this new regiment, and in Dick’s particular 
battalion, nearly all the higher officers were new to 

^ Boche — German. ® Infantrymen and sailors. 


17 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

him and the younger ones he knew but slightly as 
none of them had been with him at the School of 
Application/ most of them having been aj)pointed 
since the entrance of the United States into the 
World War. 

Although the regiment was up to full strength 
and equipped in every single particular, it was, in 
the eyes of the army officials, a sort of fifth wheel, 
but such a valuable fifth wheel that General Per- 
shing, Commander-in- Chief of the American forces 
ashore in France, saw a use for it at once, and in 
spite of how the Marines might like it he assigned 
them to these homely but very necessary and very 
important jobs along the Line of Communications. 

“Huh! Old Mike’s been telling it all around 
that he’s got the whole dope from ‘Black Jack’ 
himself, that we marines are such A-1, top-notch 
soldiers that he just had to use us for this sort of 
stuff and that he simply couldn’t trust any of his 
own outfit in such important billets. Old Mike’s 
crazy, that’s what!” and Calkins sniffed disdain- 
fully. 

“Not as crazy as you seem to think, Jim,” said 
Dick, dropping into the old familiar mode of ad- 
dressing the non-commissioned officer. “ These 
duties are extremely important, and furthermore 
the army has got to have an opportunity to catch 

* School for newly appointed marine officers. 

I8 


17. S. MARINE 

tip with us in discipline and drill, and it would not 
do to let us go in alone — just one regiment. Wait 
till we get more of our own men over, then you’ll see 
the fur fly.” 

“ Yes, but if they keep on splitting us up like 
this all the time, I’m afraid we won’t do much 
good,” muttered Jim. “ Why, some of our officers 
have been taken away and given command of bat- 
talions and even regiments in the army, and others 
have been detached and sent over to England for 
some reason or other.” 

“ Never mind, our day^ is coming, Jim. They 
can’t keep us in the background all the time even 
though they do keep us in the back areas for a part 
of it. Before it’s all over you’ll get your fill of 
fighting. Don’t worry,” and Dick strolled off to 
visit some of his men on duty down at the water- 
front and in the city. 

As he passed along the street leading to the 
quays, many a glance of admiration from under 
long lashes of demure French maids and older 
matrons followed his erect figure, and noted the 
easy swing of his body which bespoke perfect mus- 
cular control; and the bronzed complexion, dark 
hair, and clear, honest eyes of the young officer 
were not by any means the least of his attractions. 
So at least thought a charming little woman in the 
uniform of an army nurse who had been deposited 

19 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


from a shiny, new ambulance at a convenient cor- 
ner to the Base Hospital, Number One, recently 
established in the city, it having absorbed the hos- 
pital previously there which ministered to the sick 
and suffering of the famous “ Princess Pat ” Regi- 
ment of Canadian heroes. 

“ I wonder if he is a marine,” said the little nurse, 
musing to herself, and her blue eyes followed Dick 
swinging on ahead of her. “ One of the girls told 
me that they are all marines around the city, but as 
yet IVe not seen a single one. I never will forget 
the wonderful uniforms they used to wear. The 
blue trousers with the red stripes and the dark-blue 

coats with chevrons of scarlet and gold ” 

By now she was walking rapidly for she had un- 
consciously quickened her step in the desire of keep- 
ing Dick in the range of her vision. 

“ Perhaps they have now a war uniform. Per- 
haps this gi’eenish uniform that young fellow is 
wearing is it. I wonder? ” 

She stopped for a moment at the thought and 
then hurried on. 

“ Well, I’m not an American for nothing,” she 
asserted, with a resolute shake of her head, which 
loosened her cap and likewise a stray brown curl 
or two with a glint of gold to them. “ I’m going to 
catch up with him and ask him. He might know 
the man I’m looking for, even if he is not a marine. 

20 


U. S. MARINE 


I’ve been silly to go following along here as if I 
were afraid of him. He’s just a big, handsome 
fellow, and there’s nothing to be afraid of in that, 
though I’d think twice about speaking to him if he 
wasn’t an American.” 

Dick had stopped for a moment to address one 
of his men who was wearing a red brassard on his 
left arm upon which the black letters “ M. P.” of 
the Military Police were sewn, and as the girl ap- 
proached she saw clearly on both the peaked cam- 
paign-hats of officer and man, the globe, eagle and 
anchor — the corps device of the United States 
Marines. Looking more closely at the tall officer, 
she felt certain that she had seen him somewhere 
before this. Then as she caught sight of his eyes 
she knew who he was, and with a glad look of rec- 
ognition she ran toward him with an eager, excited 
cry: 

“ Dick — Dick Comstock ! Oh, Dick, but I am 
glad to see you once again! ” 


21 


CHAPTER II 


THE ELECTRIC DISH WASHER 

In the third story of one of a block of tall, nar- 
row-gabled, old-fashioned houses situated on a 
back street of St. Nazaire — up under the eaves, as 
it were, a dozen men were sitting about a table upon 
which were the remnants of the noonday meal, and 
an amazing array of dirty dishes and silver. That 
those present were expecting an addition to their 
party was evident from the talk which circulated 
around the board. 

“ He is later to-day than is customary,” said the 
man at the head of the table. “ Yet, one has to be 
extremely careful these days, and Gottlieb is par- 
ticularly so, and for excellent reasons. His work is 
of the greatest importance to our cause, and every 
look, every action is under such strict surveillance 
that the least slip is liable to precipitate us into un- 
pleasant straits. And now that these Yankees have 
arrived on the scene, he claims the danger is still 
greater than before. These French people have by 
now become accustomed to seeing us about. Most 
of us they take for granted to be bona fide citizens 
and residents, but the Americans — well, you never 
22 


U. S. MARINE 


can tell when one of them is liable to come snooping 
up here to inquire into our business.” 

“ I am inclined to believe that if the French au- 
thorities have not discovered anything suspicious in 
all these months, the Americans are not likely to 
do so,” said another. 

“ Do not be too sure of that, my friend; remem- 
ber what Gottlieb von Etten has told us of these 
marines and the experiences of our co-workers, the 
Schumanns, in the West Indies and Central Amer- 
ica. Now, strange to say, the very first American 
troops to be landed on French soil and in old St. 
Nazaire are none other than this most clever outfit 
of the United States’ service. These marines al- 
ways seem to unearth the very things which other 
people most wish to keep buried. They were re- 
sponsible for our plans miscarrying on more occa- 
sions than I care or have time to relate, and Gott- 
lieb has often told you of one marine in particular 
who caused Otto Schumann’s defeat on two occa- 
sions and eventually his death during a fight near 
Monte Cristi, in Santo Domingo. In all proba- 
bility this same man’s reports resulted in Hans 
Schumann’s arrest, and incarceration in the concen- 
tration camp in Atlanta.” 

“ Do you suppose by any chance that this same 
marine is in Europe now? ” 

“ It would be the most probable thing in the 

23 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


world that he is, and I for one would like to have 
the opportunity of evening uj) old scores with him 
for the sake of my friends,” came the rei)ly. 

Hardly had he finished speaking when there was 
the sound of a grinding at one side of the room as 
one of the large, time-blackened, oak panels was 
pushed aside and a small, dark-haired, wiry man 
appeared. He carefully slid the panel into place 
and then approached the group at the table, all of 
whom rose and standing stiffly at “ attention ” ren- 
dered the newcomer the mechanical and distinctive 
salute associated with the army of the Kaiser. 
Colonel Gottlieb von Etten was a strict disciplina- 
rian and when no other than his subordinates were 
present he insisted on military etiquette being car- 
ried out to the last dot. 

“ I was delayed a few moments, gentlemen, but 
in the end was paid for my trouble. As I told you 
when these American marines landed, there is dan- 
ger. Fortunately I doubt if anyone among them 
know me. I never had direct dealings with them 
while in Mexico, nor for that matter with any 
Americans; but their military police are certainly 
on the lookout, and I know now what I did not 
dream of some years ago, and that is the Yankees 
have for years maintained an extremely efficient 
secret service all over the world. I believe that fact 
is news to the nations in general, but to think that 
24 


t7. S. MARINE 


we, with our own wonderful system, should have 
remained so long in ignorance of it is most remark- 
able. It would not surprise me if at any time one 
of their operators found something to work upon 
here in St. Nazaire, and if he did the clue would 
lead to but one place.” 

“ What was the cause of your delay, Gottlieb? ” 
inquired the man presiding at the head of the table. 
“You hinted at having gained some useful knowl- 
edge just before you arrived.” 

“ First, I was engaged in getting the data of 
those troops despatched from here to-day. They 
are bound for the Gondrecourt training area. I 
wish the whole lot of them would leave. I have 
formed a dislike — possibly a dread, if you wish to 
call it so, of the United States Marine which I can- 
not overcome. Perhaps I have inherited Otto 
Schumann’s fatalistic views, who knows? Then to 
cap the climax, I saw to-day the very man who shot 
Otto.” 

“What! The man Comstock? We were but 
now speaking of him. So he is in France, eh? ” 

“ Yes, but no longer an enlisted man. He is now 
a commissioned officer. His company is employed 
on M. P. and provost duties right here in the city. 
But I have at last learned of something which some 
day may help me to revenge in part his activities 
against us,” and Gottlieb’s thin lips pressed to- 

25 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

gether grimly. “ Whether there is anything sig- 
nificant or not in the fact that he was talking with 
one of his men directly in front of this veiy house, 
is a question I cannot answer. Unfortunately 
when I had approached near enough to have over- 
heard their conversation that pretty American 
nurse, who recently joined the Base Hospital, rec- 
ognized him, and her appearance stopped all 
further questions and instructions he may have been 
giving his man.” 

“ But you do not suppose for an instant that he 
already suspects anything unusual in this quiet, 
docile, old residence, do you? ” 

“ I do not know what to suppose,” was the an- 
swer. “ I do know that I considered it wise not to 
enter below, but came by our secret entrance. 
However, I have wasted enough time in idle specu- 
lation. Post your lookouts. Mein Herr Brodt- 
mann, and let us get off our reports. I have many 
important messages in my budget to-day.” 

“ To your stations, men,” commanded the man 
called Brodtmann. “ Ha ! Gottlieb, I must cer- 
tainly compliment you again on your clever device. 
Every time I think of how it has fooled these 
Frenchmen I have to laugh at their gullibility.” 

While Brodtmann was speaking, the heretofore 
indolent appearing company had sprung into ac- 
tion. There was the clatter of dishes being removed 
26 


U. S. MARINE 


from the table, and strange indeed to see in a cor- 
ner of this old-time room, used as an “ eating club ” 
to all intents and j)urposes, there was an enormous, 
electric dish-washing machine installed. 

It was only when the members of the party began 
to move about that many other incongruous things 
were to be noted about the place. Nearly every 
man present appeared to be or was a cripple. One 
might have an arm or hand missing. Another 
walked with the aid of cane or crutches. Some 
were apparently fearfully disfigured about the 
face; some bent nearly double, but of those who ap- 
peared hale and hearty, nearly all were old men 
with white or iron-gray hair, though on closer in- 
spection it might have been found that a few were 
cleverly disguised as such. There was, too, a wide 
variation as to attire. Some wore the light blue 
uniform of the French army, some were in the long 
smock of the working class, others ordinary civilian 
dress, and many of those who wore the uniform and 
were maimed, had upon their breasts the red and 
green, striped ribbon, with the Croix de Guerre of 
France susjDended therefrom. 

Soon there came the grinding sound of the mod- 
ern apparatus for washing dishes turning about, as 
the machine containing the plates and cups and 
saucers began revolving steadily. Gottlieb von 
Etten, who had been conversing with Mein Herr 
27 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

Brodtmann uj) to this moment, now proceeded to 
the side of the room opposite that from which he 
had entered and walking up to the wall he pressed 
a hidden spring thereon and a concealed door 
opened disclosing a sizeable compartment behind it, 
the walls of which were thickly j)added with felt. 
On a desk or table, and attached to the same in 
compact form, was the receiving and sending ap- 
paratus of a wireless telegraph. 

“ Providing no one tries to trace the telegraph 
and telephone wires along the rear of these houses, 
this secret is safe from discovery,” Gottlieb was 
saying to Brodtmann who had followed him. “ We 
are indeed fortunate in having the chief lineman in 
this district one of our own men.” 

“ Again I say the whole idea is the cleverest bit 
of ‘ camouflage,’ as these French call it, that one 
can possibly imagine, and it is all due to your ef- 
forts, Colonel.” 

“ That is what I am here for,” said Gottlieb 
shortly. He entered the little chamber and ad- 
justed the head-piece over his dark hair and then 
seated himself at the desk. Brodtmann handed him 
a sheaf of papers containing reports which were to 
find their way through the air to the enemy and the 
next moment, with the closing of the padded door, 
there came the jumping, blue spark of the wireless, 
sending out its call. And all the time Gottlieb von 
28 


C7. S. MARINE 


Etten, an officer of Kaiser Wilhelm’s army, now a 
spy in the town of St. Nazaire, sent his ill-gotten 
news, the gray and white-haired men, and the crip- 
ples of the Patriotic French Club ground their 
washing-machine and washed and dried their table- 
ware, over and over again, while from different 
points of vantage in and about the row of houses, 
these wounded soldiers purporting to be of France’s 
brave armies, watched with the greatest care, the 
housetops, the stairways, the streets, ready to pass 
the word at the first intimation of danger or dis- 
covery. 

Thus it was that the German War Lord knew 
but kept it a profound secret from other than his 
closest military advisers that Uncle Sam had en- 
tered the pride of his service in the lists against the 
“ mailed fist,” but even this advance information 
gave him no forewarning of the imjDortant part 
these marines were destined to play in the ultimate 
failure of his plans for world conquest. 


29 


CHAPTER III 


THE WORLD IS SMALL 

For a single second only did Dick Comstock hesi- 
tate before advancing to meet the charming appari- 
tion who suddenly rushed toward him calling his 
name aloud. 

Why, it’s Marie Faure! ” he exclaimed, as their 
hands met in a wholesome, hearty clasp of greet- 
ing. “ What in the world are you doing here? But 
what a foolish question to ask, for anyone can see 
you are in the nurse’s corps.” 

“Right, Dick, but no longer a nurse in the French 
service as I have been for nearly the past three 
years. I have come down here to join the Johns 
Hopkins unit at Base Hospital Number One. 
Now that America has entered the war I could not 
rest until I had transferred to work under our own 
flag — for it is my flag even though Father and 
Mother were born here in France. Not that I sup- 
pose it makes any real difference, as all our service 
is in one cause — the sake of humanity,” and she 
smiled brightly up into the face of the young officer 
towering above her. 

“ Where is Ursula? ” Dick now asked. “ Is she 
30 


U, S. MARINE 


still in Paris? I have not heard from her since be- 
fore we left the States and I imagined it would be 
the easiest thing in the world to get in touch with her 
as soon as I stepped ashore ; but though I Ve written 
to your old address in Paris my letters must have 
miscarried, and as you know the censorship pre- 
vented my being too definite as to my whereabouts 
and even what I did say may have been deleted.” 

“ Your sister was in Paris two weeks ago, Dick. 
She is engaged now in war work with my mother. 
The strain from too much nursing broke her down 
for a while as it did me, but she will soon be back 
and is hoping to meet me here. She will be wild to 
come when she learns that you are here also. Won’t 
it be simply great? I heard there were marines 
now on M. P. in the city so I set out to-day to find 
someone who might tell me about you. I have been 
looking for blue uniforms for so long that I have 
lost a lot of time. You see we didn’t know about 
your changing your colors,' so it was natural for me 
to be careful whom I addressed.” 

“Yes, the marines have been contemplating the 
change for a long time,” said Dick, “ but many of 
the older officers hated to discard the well-known 
blues. It certainly is more picturesque, but hardly 
as suitable for war.” 

* The forestry green or, as it is officially called, winter field uni- 
form, was adopted for the marines during the war. It had pre- 
viously been sanctioned but not generally worn. 

31 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


“ And, Dick, you don’t know, — can never know, 
what it means to this country that you are in the 
war at last,” said JNIarie, her pretty face growing 
suddenly sad and sombre. “ Ursula and I were to- 
gether in Paris when the news came, and no one 
unless they were actually present can understand 
the feeling that swept over the city. Why, the peo- 
ple went simply mad with enthusiasm.” 

The two young people rambled on forgetful for 
the time being of duties both had to perform, in 
their pleasure over the unexpected meeting. It was 
Marie who finally asked: 

“ Why does that marine stand at ‘ attention ’ all 
the time? He looks bored to death with all our 
talk. Is he your orderly? ” 

‘‘ What marine? Where? ” said Dick, coming 
suddenly to earth and looking over his shoulder, to 
where a half hour before he had stopj)ed to issue 
some further instructions to one of his patrol. 
“Well! If I’m not the biggest numbskull in the 
Marine Corps, I don’t know who is! Carry on, 
there, Armstrong! I’ll see you later about that 
matter,” and then as the man unbent and turned 
away to continue his interrupted beat, Dick turned 
to Marie and said in a much chagrined manner: 

“ Jinks, if I’d been in his place I’d have been 
ready to boil over by now. I guess he’ll not think 
much of this company officer after that inexcusable 
32 


C7. S. MARINE 

break on my part; and I wouldn’t blame him in the 
least.” 

Marie laughed heartily over Dick’s discomfiture, 
and the sight of her perfect white teeth and flashing 
smile looked so enchanting that the young man soon 
forgot the incident just passed in the pleasure of 
watching her. 

“ And I must be going too, Dick. I’ve been 
away an unconscionable length of time — it must be 
nearly my hour for going on duty. When do you 
leave? Where do you live in case I have word from 
Ursula? You know where you may always find me, 
Dick.” 

And after these and other small matters had been 
attended to, they separated with the promise of 
frequent meetings, and during their entire conver- 
sation a man sitting behind the closed shutters of 
the house before which their meeting took place had 
taken down in shorthand every word they had ut- 
tered, and it is possible that some points of that in- 
nocent talk may have found their way to German 
Headquarters along with other reports of a similar 
nature from thousands of different sources, there to 
be labelled and indexed, sifted and sorted, with a 
thoroughness born of past experience and present 
necessity. For to the General Staff of the German 
forces each small item gained by espionage of this 
nature was just one more little part of the picture 
33 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


puzzle which, progressing piece by piece, gave those 
in high command a proper conception of the 
enormous strides being made by this hitherto de- 
spised nation across the water, and made them real- 
ize that if ever they hoped to win the decisive vic- 
tory they must do so before the tremendous power 
which they now saw rising before them so menac- 
ingly could gather the necessary momentum to 
crush and grind them into oblivion. 

Unconscious of having given any information to 
the enemy, and least of all aware that from their 
conversation a cudgel was placed in the hands of 
an implacable foe which he fully intended to use at 
some future time, these two young people went 
happily to their duties, much cheered by the pleas- 
ant encounter. 

“ My goodness, but Dick Comstock has grown 
handsome,” thought Marie, as she hurried on her 
way to the hospital. “ Why, when I saw him in 
Philadelphia before Ursula and I came abroad to 
study, I didn’t think he was such a wonderful look- 
ing boy, but maybe it’s the years that make a dif- 
ference in one’s way of looking at the matter. 
Ursula is surely lucky having a big fellow like that 
fighting for her — I wish I had a brother. Oh ! But 
I hope he won’t have to get mixed up in the fight- 
ing. It would be so fine if he might stay on here, 
and 


34 


U. S, MARINE 


Her smooth, white forehead furrowed a bit as 
this thought came to her and then she added 
bravely: 

“No, I don’t wish that. I’d want him to go on, 
no matter whose brother he was — go on and whip 
those horrible Bodies. How I hate them for all 
this inhuman suffering and fearful desolation they 
have caused! ” 

And Dick, striding on down to the quays, was 
thinking: 

“ Isn’t Marie a little beauty? No one would ever 
think her parents were French. She’s so like an 
American girl, — full of fun and spirit. But of 
course being born and brought up in the United 
States as she was makes a vast difference. That 
person who made the remark that the Union was 
the ‘ melting pot of the nations ’ knew what he was 
talking about — they go in anything but only come 
out Simon-pure American.” 

He walked on for a time thinking of other things 
but finally his thoughts again reverted to the meet- 
ing. 

“ I’m mighty glad she and Ursula are such good 
chums. I do hope I can manage to see her often.” 

So lost in pleasant recollections of Marie was 
Dick — for seeing old friends under such circum- 
stances ivas reason enough for his absorption — that 
he barely avoided colliding with an officer coming 
35 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


in the opposite direction. On his part the officer, 
a slim, well-built second lieutenant of marines, was 
occupied in endeavoring to make his sword, a 
bright, shining new weapon, behave. For some rea- 
son it persisted in swinging between his legs, and 
knocking against his shins, and in the effort to ap- 
pear at ease at the sight of Dick, and also in turn- 
ing quickly to one side to avert the impending dan- 
ger of running into him, the retractory blade in its 
polished scabbard slid, with almost human contrari- 
ness, between the youngster’s legs at the same mo- 
ment when he raised his hand smartly in salute. 

There was a sudden clash, and the young man 
stumbled into Dick’s arms, blushing furiously at 
his awkwardness, but his happy, blue eyes and 
laughing lips did not for a moment lack a quick 
apology. 

“ I beg your pardon, sir, but this ‘ pesky critter ’ 
simply won’t behave. You see, sir, it’s just a rookie 
and I’m so new myself that neither one of us has 
mastered the art of military control; otherwise I’m 
sure our introduction would have been more dig- 
nified at least.” 

He had scarcely glanced at Dick because in some 
way the sword slings had become loosened, and he 
was trying to give that peculiar twist which to more 
experienced officers is no effort at all, in order to 
hang the sword to its proper belt-hook. The next 
36 


U. S. MARINE 


instant he was enveloped in two powerful arms and 
heard a voice strangely familiar exclaiming: 

“ Tommy Turner ! As I live and breathe ! And 
always the same Tommy ! Look at me, you imp of 
Satan! Don't j^ou know me? ” 

“ By the Great Horn Spoon, if you aren’t Dick 
Comstock I’ll swallow this infernal sword,” said the 
now delighted and thoroughly at ease young man. 
“ Why, Dick, old boy, I’ve been wondering every 
day since I’ve become a marine, when and where in 
the world I’d ever run across you. And say, Dick, 
I saw your mother and father the day before I left 
the States, and that’s less than three Aveeks ago, and 
your mother said to tell you that even if the war 
lasts for a hundred years you mustn’t forget her 
weekly letter and write oftener if you possibly can. 
There, I promised to deliver her message the very 
minute I saw you and I have.” 

“ Thank you. Tommy, I never forget to write 
her.” 

“ Well, she said your letters were what make her 
brave, and I guess hers to you help a lot. I know 
I’m sick right now for home news! Seems as 
though I’d been away a couple of centuries already. 
Now tell me what you’re doing? Where do you 
live? And are those German prisoners which I saw 
just now working down on the wharves some of the 
bloodthirsty kind that you hear about? You know, 
37 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

when I saw their gray uniforms with the red letters 
‘ P. G.’ painted all over ’em, I thought that some- 
one through error had left out the letter ‘ i ’ in the 
middle, but I found out that it means Prisonnier de 
Guerre! And can you tell me where I’ve got to re- 
port? And why aren’t you wearing a sword, 
Dick? ” 

“ Hold on. Tommy, not so fast. Put them over 
the plate one at a time. I’ll answer your last ques- 
tion first because it’s the only one I can remember. 
None of us wear swords in France.” 

“ What? And here I’ve been doing the turkey- 
trot over this thing all the way up from the docks. 
Dad bought it for me just before I left and I prom- 
ised him I’d stick it into the first Hun I saw, but I 
couldn’t keep my word, Dick, because those 
Froggies " guarding the Pigs, as I like to call ’em, 
wouldn’t even let me prick one of ’em in the leg just 
to try out the blade, and I sharpened it to a needle- 
point too. Worked on the darned thing all the way 
across. 

“ And, Dick,” continued Tommy, who was 
thoroughly wound up, “ tell me if that old sergeant 
is around anywhere — the one who jumped over- 
board after me that day, and showed us all around 
the Nantucket? Goodness! How time do fly! 
That’s over six years ago, and you’ve been soldier- 

' Prisoner of War. “A soubriquet for Frenchman. 

38 


U. S. MARINE 


ing, or should I say, marine-ing ever since, and IVe 
gone through college — ^nearly through that is,' and 
such a lot of things have happened. And say, Dick,, 
my Uncle Fred Turner — ^you know he was a marine- 
officer in the Spanish- American War — he’s back int 
the corps and doing duty in the Q. M. D.' at 
League Island, and all the fellows back home are 
in something or other. Remember ‘ Reddy ’ Doyle 
and Don Barry and old ‘ Sphinx ’ Meade? They’re 
all in service — ‘ Reddy ’ and ‘ Sphinx ’ in the New 
England Division and Don’s gone to some aviation 
camp down in New Jersey, and, oh! I almost for- 
got — who do you suppose was the Executive Of- 
ficer of the ship I came over on? Mr. ‘ Admiral ’ 
Gordon Graham, if you please, as big as life — and 
his head is still bigger — swelled to the size of a 
pumpkin over being a Lieutenant in Uncle Sam’s 
Navy. My! but he’s changed a lot since we used 
to monkey around home together! He’s about the 
stuck-up-ed-ess cuss I’ve seen in a dog’s age. 
Hardly would speak to a poor, just-caught, second 

lieutenant of Girenes, and ” 

“ Tommy — Tommy, won’t you please shut off 
the steam? I’m so dizzy now that I’m groggy. 
Boy, you’ll send me to the ‘ horspittal ’ if you don’t 
let up. Can’t you see I’m down and out? ” 

“ Oh, I say, Dick, don’t stop me please,” and 

* Quartermaster’s Department. 

39 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


Tommy looked up appealingly. “ IVe not talked 
for a week. IVe been so scared listening for 
U-boats and torpedoes and all that sort of thing. 
Phew! But it’s sure good to see you, and meet 
someone who will understand me and what I’m 
talking about. Half of the time the fellows on 
board wouldn’t listen to me, and if I hadn’t found 
an old Jack-Tar ^ who was deaf in one ear, and who 
didn’t mind how much I talked to him on that side, 
I’d have been mighty lonesome, Dickie boy. But 
say, I’m forgetting what I’m supposed to do, and 
that is report to the officer in charge of provost or 
M. P. — does that mean Metropolitan Police? — and 
I’m ordered to join his company.” 

“ What? ” exclaimed Dick in some astonishment, 
but well pleased over the news. “ Why, Tommy, 
that’s my captain — my company! It can’t be that 
we’re going to have another officer. We’re full-up, 
now.” 

“ Can’t help that, Dickie. I’m reporting just the 
same, full or not — and say,” as a happy thought 
struck him, “ you’ve made your number as a first 
lieutenant ! They have been increasing the corps a 
lot lately, and maybe you’re as high uj) as captain. 
You see, I just got my commission in a rush. I 
was at Bordentown for a year, and had a lot of 
drill there; then I went to Yale Sheff and was well 

* Sailor. 

40 


17. S. MARINE 


up in ’lectricity and all that sort of thing, and then 
the war came, and naturally I enlisted in the Ma- 
rines right off the bat. Was made a marine gunner 
before you could say ‘ Jack Robinson,’ all because 
I knew so much, and before j^ou could murmur the 
name a second -time they made me a sure enough 
officer, and — here I am.” 

Tommy stopped for a moment to take breath and 
in that interval Dick faced him about and started 
him off “ on the double ” toward headquarters. 
He knew if Tommy should get started again that 
the boy was good to run on indefinitely unless some 
strenuous action was taken to stop him. 

After reporting and helping Tommy to find his 
baggage and get it transferred to their quarters, the 
long summer day was drawing to a close. That 
evening the two friends talked until far into the 
night, but Tommy’s talking machine finally did run 
down and he dropped off to sleep. Then after 
making a few notes in his War Diary, Dick un- 
dressed and turned out the lights. 

“ The world is a pretty small place when it comes 
to meeting people in out-of-the-way corners of it,” 
he thought as he stretched out on his narrow bunk. 
“ Tommy Turner and Gordon Graham, and all the 
fellows either here or on their way to France; and 
Ursula and Marie — well, all roads seem to be lead- 
ing to St. Nazaire instead of to Rome these days.” 

41 


CHAPTER IV 


THE SWORD OF THE MAMELUKES 

“ Hang it all, you’re always in the way, you tin 
rattle-trap ! ” and Tommy Turner, entering the 
rooms which he and Dick occupied as quarters in 
the city of St. Nazaire, gave the offending piece of 
military equipment, his sword, which in some un- 
known manner had fallen from a chair and across 
his path, a vigorous kick which sent it slithering and 
sliding across the hard- wood floor. 

“ Oh, shut up. Tommy! You are forever mak- 
ing such a racket that I don’t see how Dick can 
stand living in the same rooms with you. It’s worse 
than being aboard the same ship with you for three 
weeks.” 

“ Hello, there, ‘ Admiral,’ ” said Tommy, look- 
ing up and discovering for the first time that Dick 
and Gordon Graham, the latter a senior lieutenant 
in the United States Navy, were sitting near the 
open window at the front of the room. 

All three of these young men had been brought 
up together in the same New England town. Dick 
and Gordon had been classmates and intimate 
friends, but Tommy, a bright, precocious young- 
ster, several years their junior, though often asked 
42 


U. S. MARINE 


on outings and picnics with them, had not come 
within the classification of “ chum ” in those 
younger days. However, that phase of the matter 
worried Tommy little if at all and he was now, as 
always, ever ready with a reply at his tongue’s tip, 
so he continued: 

“ And, — oh, by the way, ‘ Admiral,’ who am I 
to thank for the condescension shown me by a visit 
from such a high dignitary in Uncle Sam’s service 
to these my most humble quarters ? Am I to believe 
that your Honor has so far descended from your 
high and lofty station for the purpose of visiting 
two mere lieutenants of Marines? If so, allow me 
to express to you, sir, my extreme gratification and 
extend to you ” 

But he could get on no further. A heavy shoe 
studded with hobnails came hurtling across the 
room directly at his head, followed by a quick volley 
of lesser but nevertheless dangerous articles in the 
shape of books, rulers, magazines and pillows, 
which kept him dodging with the agility of a Tom- 
cat on a tin roof when irate neighbors are besieging 
the midnight soloist with the hand-grenades de- 
picted in the Sunday supplements. 

Having exhausted their supply of ammunition, 
Dick and Gordon consented to permit Tommy to 
pull up a chair and join the circle provided he 
would speak only when spoken to — rules which 
43 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

they knew beforehand it would be impossible for 
him to observe. 

“ As I started to say, when Tommy intermpted 
us,” remarked Gordon, “ I cannot understand why 
you stuck to the marines this long, Dick. Why, 
you could have gone to the Naval Academy as 
easily as your friend Henry Cabell, and just think 
of the difference in the two services. You know 
that the marines are really nothing but a branch of 
the navy, after all is said and done; and a marine 
officer, no matter how high up he is, is always under 
a naval officer — ^never his own boss, as you might 
say.” 

“ Wrong again, ‘ Admiral,’ ” interrupted 
Tommy, quick to take up the cudgel for his favorite 
branch; “right at this present moment the navy 
hasn’t a durned thing to do with the marines serving 
in France — ^^ve’re now under orders of the army, 
mon ami!" 

A look of annoyance swept over Gordon’s face. 
“We told you to keep still, Tommy,” he said. 

“ But he’s right, Gordon,” Dick added. “ At 
this moment every marine in France is serving with 
and under the army, and as soon as additional of- 
ficers and men arrive here their service with the 
Navy is temporarily severed. It’s right in accord- 
ance with the statutes under which we were orig- 
inally organized.” 


44 


U. S. MARINE 


“ Yes — but that doesn’t alter the fact that the 
marine is always subordinate to someone,” asserted 
Gordon, a little testily. 

“ And so are you under someone, even if you are 
in the navy. I know what you are driving at, Gor- 
don ; you mean that some day for instance you can 
command a ship or a naval station, and that a ma- 
rine never has that right, but it doesn’t make any 
difference what you are in the military service — 
you’re always responsible to someone higher up — 
till you get to the President, and he in turn is re- 
sj)onsible to the nation.” 

“ And all nations are responsible to God,” added 
Tommy, with no longer any levity in his tone, “ and 
for that reason the Hun is going to be wiped off 
the map, because as a nation they forgot 
that fact and put their so-called ‘ Kultur ’ before 
God.” 

For a while they all remained silently thinking, 
and then Gordon said: 

“ Well, anyway, I’d have thought you would 
have preferred the navy. You were so keen for it 
when we were kids, and you know all our officers 
are such a fine lot — nearly all of them gi’aduates of 
the Academy and from the best of families. You 
always feel and know that they have the savoir 
faire, and all that. Now in the marines most of 
your officers, particularly of late, have come from 
45 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


the ranks and you never can tell about their ante- 
cedents.” 

“ Going to Annapolis has made a lot of differ- 
ence in you, Gordon,” said Dick, “ but you must 
not lose sight of the fact, old chap, that just going 
through the Naval Academy doesn’t make a gentle- 
man out of a fellow, although it may make him an 
officer. That old expression is still in use to-day — 
‘ he is an officer and a gentleman ’ — showing clearly 
that the two estates are far from being synony- 
mous.” 

“Bull’s-eye! Give him the other barrel, old 
dear!” and Tommy got up and executed a lively 
jig step to express his delight at Dick’s “ come- 
back.” 

“ Oh, well, if you’re not going to act decently, 
Tommy, I’m going,” said Gordon, and with that 
he picked up his cap and stormed out of the room, 
down the stairs into the street below, with Tommy’s 
splendid tenor voice raised in song, ringing in his 
ears: 

**If the Army and the Navy 
Ever look on Heaven* s scenes, 

They will find the streets are guarded by 
United States Marines,** 

For some time after Gordon’s departure, Dick 
sat gazing from the wdndow lost in thought. 
Tommy busied himself about the room picking up 
46 


V. S. MARINE 


the projectiles he had so successfully avoided. 
Finally he fished the cause of his primal outbreak 
from under one of the bunks. “ Ah, there you are 
— you sword of Damocles,” he said. 

“ And it would serve you right if the horsehair 
was finally severed and the blade descended on your 
own head,” said Dick, a little irritably, for he was 
feeling regretful over the unbridged gulf which had 
been made in the years since he and Gordon gradu- 
ated from the Bankley High School. “ That 
sword which you are continually cussing out so un- 
sparingly has quite some history. Tommy, and if 
you knew it perhaps you’d not be so ready to call 
down anathemas on its ivory hilt and graceful 
curve.” 

“ Why, what’s so remarkable about its history, 
Dick? ” asked Tommy, instantly attention. “ Isn’t 
it like any other sword? ” 

“ Indeed it is not. Our sword is called ‘ The 
Sword of the Mamelukes ’ and with excellent rea- 
son. It is patterned after the weapon carried by 
that famous body-guard of Turkish slaves who 
grew so powerful that they eventually overthrew 
their ruler, usurped his powers and throne and for 
many years held supreme control in Egypt.” 

“ That’s interesting,” said Tommy, now holding 
the sword in its polished, German-silver scabbard, 
a little more reverently, “ but how did we come to 
47 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 



(а) Marine Officers’ sword and 
scabbard. The handle and hilt 
of this sword are patterned after 
the sword of the Mamelukes, 
which gives this sword its name. 
A sword similar to this is worn 
by General officers in the army of 
Great Britain. For field and gar- 
rison use a leather sword knot is 
suspended from the hole through 
the hilt ; on dress occasions a gold 
sword knot is used. 

(б) Sword and scabbard used 
by the higher non-commissioned 
officers of the Marine Corps. 


adopt anything so remote 
as a weapon belonging to 
the body-guard of a Khe- 
dive — if that is what they 
called him in those days?” 

“It is too long a stoiw 
to tell 3 ^ou other than the 
barest details,” replied 
Dick. “ But it is sup- 
posed that when the 
famous hero, Lieutenant 
O’Bannon ' of our corps, 
after a six-hundred mile 
march across the desert of 
Barca, in Tripoli, in 
1805, which resulted in 
the capture of the city of 
Dern, and on its walls 
wdiere he raised our 
American flag for the 
first time over captured 
territory in the Old 
World — that he brought 
back among his trophies 
one of the swords of the 
IMamelukes which he 
greatly admired. In 


* Lieutenant Prestley Neville O’Bannon, U. S. M. C. 

48 


U. S. MARINE 


those early days, officers could about choose their 
own side-arms, so it appears he probably chose 
to wear this reminder of his gallant act. When 
he returned to America, the State of Virginia, 
in 1807, presented him with a beautiful weapon 
modelled after the Mameluke blade. In 1825 
it was officially adopted — the hilt was, at least, 
for our blade is not made with the curve so great as 
in the original, and our officers wore it until 1850. 
Then we adopted the army officers’ sword ; but after 
sixteen years came back to our own once more and 
weVe retained it ever since. Incidentally it’s the 
best looking sword in the service to-day.” 

“ Old friend, forgive me,” said Tommy, looking 
at the weapon which he held before him. “ I might 
have known you would get the better of me in the 
end, from the way you started out in the beginning 
to prove that you were mightier than I.” Then, 
turning to Dick, he said, “And, Dick, it’s a fine 
tempered blade — much better temper than mine 
own — just look how she can bend almost to the hilt 
and spring back into place.” 

Drawing the sword with a quick flourish, he made 
a lunge at the closed door by which one entered the 
room. There was the sudden splitting of wood as 
the panel cracked at the touch of the needle-like 
point ; the blade slid easily through the door, and the 
next instant from the opposite side of the portal 
49 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

there came a frightened yell, and there echoed 
plainly in the dim hallway outside the words : 

“Ach! Gott im Himmel! ” 

Tommy nearly dropped the weapon in his amaze- 
ment. There was a quiver along the blade as if a 
fish were on the end of a taut line wriggling; then 
followed a sudden rush in the hall and a clattering 
down the stairs. 

“ Dick,” yelled Tommy, excitedly, “ IVe kept 
my word to my Dad; IVe stuck it through a Hun ! ” 
The next moment Dick had torn open the door, 
and followed by Tommy still waving the Sword of 
the Mamelukes over his head, he rushed out of the 
room and building into the street below. 

Emerging into the thoroughfare his quick eyes 
made a hasty survey of the scene, but to all appear- 
ances everything was as it should be. No one was 
hurrying away from the building, no one seemed to 
be engaged in other than the ordinary pursuits of 
their daily lives. Line upon line of motor-trucks 
were rolling along to and from the direction of the 
water-front; a few men in the divers uniforms of 
sailors and soldiers of the Allied forces strolled 
about in groups; women with market baskets on 
their arms and their odd little bits of lace or linen 
on their heads, passed on their many ways ; the ever- 
present clatter of the children’s sabots, the hum of 
traffic, the noise of a city — ^nothing more. 

50 


U. S. MARINE 


Dick and Tommy stopped short, for a moment at 
a loss just what step to take next. A marine, with 
the brassard of the M. P. on his arm, seeing them 
and sensing something was amiss, came uj) to in- 
quire if there was anything wanted. 

“ I saw you come running out of the house, sir,” 
he said, addressing Dick, whom he knew well, “ and 
this new officer evidently chasing you with his 
drawn sword,” and he looked at Tommy suspi- 
ciously. 

Tommy felt foolish for a moment and then be- 
fore Dick could answer, he exclaimed: 

“We were chasing a German ! I stuck him with 
my sword — see, it drew blood,” and he pointed at a 
dark stain near the point. 

“ A German! ” exclaimed the marine, mystified. 

“Yes; he was outside our room in the hallway, 
probably listening with his ear close against the 
panel and his shoulder resting against it, and when 
I made a lunge at the panel and the thin board 
split, my sword slid through and stuck him in the 
shoulder, I guess. I could feel him wiggling off 
the point, and then he ran down the stairs.” 

“ But how do you know it was a German, sir? ” 
questioned the M. P., incredulously. 

“ He was so startled,” said Dick, quietly, “ that 
he yelled out in German the words, ‘Ach, Gott im 
Hiinmel.’ ” 


51 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

By now several curious pedestrians, attracted by 
the trio, stood trying to take in the conversation. 

“ Right before you came out, sir, I did see a man 
leave the building. I remember it well, now, sir,” 
said the marine, “ but I’ve seen him so often I 
thought nothing of it when you asked me. He 
lives here in the same house, sir.” 

“ What does he look like? ” queried Dick. 

“ Why, you know him, sir, for I’ve seen you talk- 
ing with him. He’s that there French soldier, with 
one arm shot away. Lost it in the fighting some 
time or other. He wears a Croix de Guerre, too, 
sir, if I remember correctly.” 

“ And he is the only person who came out? ” 

“ The only one I remember, sir; he walked out 
and turned up the street and hardly had he left the 
doorway before you both came piling out like a 
couple of shooting-stars, sir.” 

“ I know that chap,” said Tommy. ‘‘ He speaks 
fairly good English. I met him the day after I 
landed, and he told me all about his awful time in 
the trenches. It can’t be that he’s the one. Per- 
haps the man we’re after found he couldn’t get out 
without being observed and he might have hidden in 
the hallway until we rushed by him and then he es- 
caped by a back way.” 

“ It might pay to take a look,” said Dick, 
thoughtfully, “ and anyway we’re attracting a 
52 


U. S, MARINE 


crowd here. Clear them out, Jackson, and then 
come up to my rooms; I want to see you.” 

The M. P. did as he was ordered and soon fol- 
lowed the two officers into the house. 

“ There is no place where anyone could have got 
out on this floor. In our excitement we may have 
passed him in the gloom of the hallway, but I hardly 
think that is possible either,” said Dick, when Jack- 
son had rejoined them. “ Now here is something 
that is strange on the face of it. If the Frenchman, 
Pierre Dufonet is his name; I say, if he preceded 
us by only a second or two, it stands to reason that 
he could not have failed to hear that cry and also 
the noise of a man running down the stairs. If he 
did hear it, the natural thing for him to do under 
the circumstances was to have stopped to inquire 
into the cause, but he didn’t do that, and it is that 
fact which makes me want to know more about 
him.” 

“ I believe I can tell you a little, sir,” volunteered 
Jackson. “As I’ve said, I’ve seen him often. One 
of the places he visits frequently is that little jew- 
eller’s shop on the Rue des ]\Iiracles, and I have 
frequently seen him on the street with the proprie- 
tor, a stout, elderly man. They are both members 
of a club up this street a few blocks, on the oj^posite 
side, sir.” 

“ I know, it’s the Cercle Patriotique Franfais/* 
53 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

said Tommy. “ I’ve been there already, but, ex- 
cuse me, it’s a sorry place to call a club. J ust a few 
card and domino tables on the second floor, and an 
eating joint on the third. I think that’s about 
all they do there, eat their meals and read the 
papers.” 

“ When did you ever go there? ” questioned Dick 
in some surprise. “You have certainly got around 
more in your week here than I have since my arri- 
val. I never knew of the place.” 

“ Oh, Pierre asked me up for a while, two or 
three days ago,” answered the youngster, “ but as 
I’ve said, it’s a sad place to go if you want to keep 
up your spirits. The members are a lot of silent 
old men, or else poor crippled soldiers. However, 
I gTiess their meals are good ; they smelled so.” 

“ It certainly doesn’t sound promising,” said 
Dick, “ but I’m going to have a look at the Cercle 
Frangais, and you are going to take me there. 
Tommy. 

“ By the way,” he added, looking severely at the 
boy, “ what did you talk about while you were up 
there with Pierre? ” 

“ Why, there’s only one thing to talk about,” said 
Tommy, innocently. “ Of course, everyone talked 
about the war, and he told me a lot about his experi- 
ences, and I told him a lot about America and 
the marines and — in fact, they all seemed to 
54 


U. S. MARINE 


want to hear what America is going to do. They 
say they have waited so long for us to come in, and 
have expected such big things from us ; and you can 
bet I gave them an ear-full.” 

“ I can bank on that,” replied Dick, grimly. 
“ Come on. Tommy, we’ll pay them a visit, tout de 
suite, and see if we can’t cheer them up with some 
more good news about the part we are to play in the 
war. That will be all, Jackson, except you might 
tell the Captain where he could find us if we are 
wanted, and the sergeant might send up a man or 
two to keep an eye on the joint while we are inside.” 

“ Why, you don’t expect anything crooked up 
there, do you, Dick? ” asked Tommy, quite excited. 

Haven’t an idea. Tommy, but I may have after 
we get through. Now remember, for goodness’ 
sake be natural and talk as much as you generally 
do,” and off they tramped on their errand. 


55 


CHAPTER V 


LE CERCLE PATRIOTIQUE ERANCAIS 

Do you believe they knew you were listening? ” 
The speaker was Gottlieb von Etten, known to 
the people of St. Nazaire as Monsieur Guillaume 
Tardieu, and emplo^^ed by the American authori- 
ties down on the docks where each day innumerable 
supplies of all kinds were being unloaded from the 
transports arriving from the United States. 

Guillaume, or Gottlieb as he should be called, had 
excellent opportunities for espionage, and the re- 
ports he sent to his headquarters must have opened 
the eyes of the officials in charge with amazement. 
His lists of the troops landed at the debarkation 
port were not guesswork, but accurate to a man, 
and by means of a thoroughly-planned, smooth- 
working system of communication with the German 
prisoners employed in unloading operations under 
charge of their French guards, his knowledge of the 
nmnitions of war put ashore was equally correct, 
and so long as the “ washing-machine ” ran on un- 
molested in the rooms of the Cercle Patriotiqiie 
Franfais, so long was his mission of gathering and 
forwarding his valuable data made easy of accom- 
plishment. 

5b 


U. S. MARINE 

With great*ingenuity Gottlieb had perfected all 
these details, and that he was an efficient organizer 
and one who guarded carefully every point and cov- 
ered effectively every avenue against discovery was 
evidenced by the fact that his work had thus far 
gone on undetected. Having left Mexico when the 
United States declared war against Germany in 
April, 1917, he proceeded to New York. English, 
French, Spanish and Italian were as familiar to him 
as his native tongue, and being a man of excellent 
education and much military experience in his own 
and other countries he easily adapted himself to any 
situation. Disguise was not a necessity to Colonel 
von Etten. In New York, purporting to be a 
Frenchman, showing passports, the genuineness of 
which was never questioned, he easily found his 
way to St. Nazaire with the first American con- 
tingents to cross the Atlantic. Soon after his ar- 
rival he was in touch with every German secret 
service agent in the city; for St. Nazaire, like every 
other seaport or large town in the French republic, 
was still honeycombed with enemy spies. 

So far none of his plans had miscarried, and al- 
though in the present instance such a peculiar hap- 
pening could not have been foreseen, he was de- 
cidedly irritated that it should have occurred at all. 
Undoubtedly the American authorities would set 
about investigating it at once. Therefore, being 
57 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


forewarned he must be forearmed if possible, and 
he was trying to get at all the minor points in the 
affair which Pierre Dufonet had just finished recit- 
ing to him. The one-armed man dressed in the 
light-blue uniform now replied unhesitatingly: 

“ No, I believe it was purely accidental. I know 
that I cried out in surprise and pain when the sword 
was so suddenly thrust through the panel against 
which I was at the moment leaning. My ear was 
close to the wood, you see, and the point spitted me 
in the shoulder to a depth of three or four inches. 
I had to wriggle about to rid myself of the blade 
and unthinkingly I made a lot of noise in going 
down the stairs. However, before I reached the 
street I had collected my wits, and walked here as 
calmly as possible though the blood trickling down 
my back made it very uncomfortable.” 

“ You arrived in time. The stain is beginning to 
show through your tunic. Here, Mein Herr Dock- 
tor Strauss, give this young fellow your attention 
immediately.” 

It was time that something was being done for 
the wounded man. He began to sway back and 
forth before his superior, though he still stood with 
his heels clicked together in the position of “ atten- 
tion.” 

The surgeon came quickly forward and deftly 
dressed the deep wound, administering restoratives 
58 


U. S. MARINE 

in the meanwhile. Soon, the flow of blood having 
ceased, Pierre was able to continue his story. 

“ You say that both the American officers are 
speaking acquaintances?” questioned von Etten, 
who had been pacing impatiently about the 
room, waiting for the surgeon to complete his 
work. 

‘‘ Yes; one is Lieutenant Comstock, the other is 
Lieutenant Turner, a recent arrival. Both, as you 
know, are marines. The latter, as you may remem- 
ber, visited here a few days since and told us so 
many interesting details of affairs in America.” 

“ Hum! ” was the only reply made by Gottlieb, 
and he renew'ed his pacing. 

‘‘ That Lieutenant Comstock, — have you ever 
talked with him? Did you ever get any ‘ interest- 
ing details ’ out of his conversation? ” 

“ I have, and I have not, sir, to be succinct,” was 
the reply. 

“No, and you never will. He is all eyes and 
ears, but he is not a braying ass like most of these 
braggart Yankees,” and the speaker paused for a 
moment, his brows knit darkly, lost in thought, then 
he continued, “ With an armj^^ of men like him and 
the proper kind of training such as is only acquired 
in the Fatherland, I could conquer the world with 
ease, but this is getting us nowhere.” He seemed 
to awake from his temporary dreaming. 

59 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ What happened when you yelled out? What 
did these two men do? What did you say? ” 

“ I do not remember — I hardly think that I said 
anything intelligible — ^merely an exclamation of 
sudden pain and surprise. As I stepped into the 
street I heard someone running along the hall over- 
head, and after I proceeded a block or two, I 
crossed the street and looked back, fearing to do so 
before — and I saw a small crowd gathering about 
the doorway and both officers bareheaded, standing 
in their midst, talking with a private on M. P.” 

“ Have you left anything of an incriminating na- 
ture in your room in case it should be subjected to 
search? ” 

“ Nothing, sir; I always keep my notes on my 
person and only long enough to turn them over to 
you. The only papers in my portmanteau are my 
discharges and my citations, all in the name of 
‘ Pierre Dufonet.’ ” 

“ It is well,” said Gottlieb, “ but take my word 
for it, the matter will not rest here providing my 
opinion of Comstock is correct, and I have every 
reason to believe it is. As I have told you all on 
previous occasions, I dislike these marines and I 
fear that young man and his presence in the city 
more than anything or anyone. Again I caution 
you to be on your guard.” 

With his last word there came a soft knocking at 
6o 


[7. S. MARINE 


the door and von Etten himself hastened to open it. 
A man dressed as a waiter was standing outside. 
He quickly entered, closing the door softly behind 
him. 

“ It is that young marine officer come again to 
see you, M’sieur Dufonet, and he has brought an- 
other officer named Comstock with him. They are 
waiting below, sir,” he whispered. 

*'Donner und Blitzen! ” burst from von Etten’s 
thin lips. “ I knew it! Quick — to your games 
and diversions! Here, Pierre, let me see your 
coat,” he said, turning to the wounded man. “ It 
will have to do — the stain will not be noticed. Give 
him a bracer, Herr Docktor, and make it a strong 
one. It is fortunate the wound was not in your 
good shoulder, or it would be immediately noticed. 
You must play the game of your life, young man. 
It is too much to expect that they are here merely 
on a friendly visit.” 

With a gTimace of pain the young man slipped 
again into his coat and then left the room. 

''Bon jour, mes amis/' he said in greeting on en- 
tering the small room where Dick and Tommy were 
awaiting him. "Mais, I will talk in the Eengleesh, 
for your frien’ he not comprehend ver’ well la 
langue Frajipaise, is eet not true? ” His face fairly 
shone with delight, and after shaking hands with 
each of his guests in turn, he continued: 

6i 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ Eet is indeed ver’ good of j'^ou to come again for 
the viseet so soon. I consider eet the high compli- 
ment that you pay me.” 

“ When Lieutenant Turner told me of his pleas- 
ant call here, and that you had invited him to renew 
it, I was anxious to see your club for myself and 
took advantage of his offer to bring me along,” said 
Dick, stiltedly. 

“ I told my friend of your jolly little place,” 
added Tommy, “ and of the wonderful experiences 
so many of your members had gone through, and 
you know we are both keen to learn about all these 
things. Here in St. Nazaire it seems as though we 
were almost as far from the fighting as it did back 
home in the States.” 

Mais, oui; eet is too much the shame to keep 
your brave, fighting soldats employed this long time 
on the bad task here — the job, as you call eet. Eet 
is for the useless mens, not for les braves. But 
soon you will to prepare to make the fight for la 
Patrie. Come, I forget myself. We will mount 
the stair, and you will talk with me of our success 
en la guerre, n'est ce pas? Apres vous, mes amis /" " 
and with a graceful bow he motioned for the two 
officers to precede him. 

A moment later Dick and Tommy were ushered 
into the long room above. At the tables scattered 

the war, is it not so? After you, my friends” 

62 


V, S. MARINE 


about the place couples were engaged in playing 
dominoes, and the staccato clicks of the ivory-faced, 
ebony-backed rectangles as they were shuffled about 
the boards was the only sound breaking the silence 
of the peaceful scene. Other members of the club 
\vere perusing periodicals or magazines; while in a 
deep, leather-backed chair one white-haired, well- 
fed member appeared to be peacefully sleeping. 

“ This looks mighty comfortable and cozy,” said 
Dick, turning toward Pierre. “ How many rooms 
have you altogether? ” 

“ Perhaps monsieur would care to look over our 
whole establishment,” said a suave voice, speaking 
French, over Dick’s shoulder. 

“Ah, eet is our president. Monsieur Tardieu, 
messieurs,” said Pierre by way of introduction. 
“ Yes, they will be pleased to inspect us. Monsieur 
le President, but I have them first asked to drink 
with me one little toast to the success of our arms.” 

“ That is kind of you,” replied Dick, “ but 
as neither of us drink, I know you will excuse 
us.” 

A flash of disappointment shadowed for a mo- 
ment the dark face of the club’s president, but he 
quickly spoke in reply. 

“ Certainement, certainement, mes amis, it is only 
the strong-minded who can afford to indulge in al- 
cohol, and even for them it is a snare at times; and 

63 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

a soldier never, except when he is too old for service 
or incapacitated for duty. Come, we will show you 
our chief attraction, the pride of our Cercle, — our 
kitchen and our salle a manger. It is above,” and 
von Etten led the way up another flight of narrow 
stairs. 

The long room utilized both as kitchen and din- 
ing-room was a very attractive and enticing place, 
especially for a hungry man. Its walls, lined with 
time-aged, black-oak j)anelling, were covered with 
vigorous war scenes, and near the end utilized for 
cooking, shining pots and pans hung in orderly rov/s 
near the large range. Through the wide, opened 
windows at either end of the room the gentle even- 
ing breezes blew the white curtains in and out, to 
and fro. Everything was spotless, and before the 
stove a white-capped, long-aproned cook and his 
assistant were busy preparing the evening meal. 
Savory odors arose which tickled the nostrils of the 
two Americans temptingly. It was the nearest ap- 
proach to home comforts that either Dick or 
Tommy had seen for weeks. 

“ How like you eet? ” questioned Pierre, smiling 
broadly. 

“ Well, if it tastes as good as it looks and smells,” 
answered Tommy, peering inquisitively into a pot 
simmering over the fire, “ I’d like to fight it out on 
this line if it took all summer.” 

64 


t7. S, MARINE 


Your friends will remain and break bread with 
us, perhaps,” suggested Gottlieb, inquiringly. 

“ Thank you,” replied Dick, “ but it will be im- 
possible for us to do so to-day. At another time, 
perhaps,” he added, seeing disappointment written 
all over Tommy’s expressive countenance. 

“ Indeed, at any time, my friends,” and after that 
they all descended the stairs to the floor below, 
where, after a brief visit, the two Americans made 
their excuses and departed. Gottlieb and Pierre 
attended them to the door and bowed them out cere- 
moniously, with urgent invitations for a speedy re- 
newal of their call. No sooner had the outer door 
closed upon the two than the man in the light-blue 
uniform of the French soldier crumpled in a heap 
at Gottlieb’s feet. Before giving any attention to 
Pierre, Gottlieb first rushed to a window from 
which he could obtain a view of the street and care- 
fully peered out from behind the curtains. 

“ Just as I thought; they had men posted about 
in the neighborhood in case of necessity,” he mut- 
tered angrily. “ However, I do not believe they 
found anything suspicious, yet it is certain we are 
to be under close surveillance from now on. What 
an unlucky thing that chance sword thrust has 
proved to be — the act of a foolish boy nearly upset- 
ting my well-laid, smoothly-oiled plans. Bah!” 
He paused for a while in thought, and then gave 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


orders for someone to look after the unfortunate 
man still lying in a faint at the doorwaj^ “ It is a 
fortunate thing that the thrust of the blade did not 
wound his good arm, else the game would have been 
up at once,” he said aloud, and then he turned to his 
desk in a corner of the reading-room and busied 
himself with reports until the evening meal was an- 
nounced as ready. 

Meanwhile Tommy and Dick were walking to 
their quarters after having dismissed the M. P. 
whom Gottlieb had noticed from the window. 

“ Discover anything, Dick?” questioned Tommy. 

“ Yes, did you? ” 

‘‘Well, no; that is, unless it was that Dufonet 
appeared to have been drinking. He looked pale, 
and his cordiality seemed assumed.” 

“ Did you notice there was an inch rent in the 
shoulder of his blue uniform? ” 

“You don’t mean it! ” 

“ It was there, right enough, and also there was a 
stain of blood near it, or I miss my guess. From 
this time on. Tommy, Le Cercle Patriotique Fran- 
gais is going to be carefully watched. Come on, 
we’ll go down and report all this to the C. O.” 

Captain Harrison, Dick and Tommy’s Company 
Commander, was deeply interested in what his sub- 
alterns had to relate regarding their afternoon’s 
experiences. 


66 


U, S, MARINE 


“ I’ll have some information about the place right 
away,” he said, and calling an orderly, he directed 
him to find Gaston Lherisson and have him report 
in the office at once. 

Lherisson, who was Captain Harrison’s official 
interpreter, entered in a short while. 

“ What do you know of the Patriotic French 
Club situated up the street a short ways, Gaston? ” 
inquired the Captain. 

The involuntary twitching of Gaston’s facial 
muscles escaped everyone in the room except Dick, 
who made mental note of it, but without a second’s 
hesitation the interpreter replied: 

“ Only what everyone knows, mon capitaine. I 
have been there on occasion and they serve excellent 
meals, but outside of that feature I would not rec- 
ommend the place as attractive in any way.” 

“ Do you know one of its members named Pierre 
Dufonet? ” 

“Ah, indeed, yes ! He was wounded in the battle 
of the Marne, now three years agone, and many 
months he fought for his life in the hospitals. A 
brave man, monsieur, but he is now broken and 
useless.” 

“And the other members; are any of them known 
to you? ” 

“ They are mostly soldiers like Pierre, returned 
from the war as no longer good for the fighting. 

6/ 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

Some, though, are old men; respectable citizens of 
many years’ standing in the community.” 

‘‘ I have reason to believe that that one member, 
Pierre Dufonet, despite his uniform, his wounds, 
his Croix de Guerre, and also your statement, is not 
what he represents himself to be, and I am going to 
put you on the case at once, Gaston. Go about it 
in your own way, and let me hear as soon as you 
discover anything. See if you can manage this as 
well as you did the Bouvier case. You may go.” 

Lherisson turned and immediately left the room. 

“ Will the Captain excuse us at once? ” asked 
Dick, speaking very quietly. “You see, sir, to be 
perfectly frank with you, I don’t trust Gaston in 
this matter, and if you have no objections, I would 
like to watch his movements for the next half-hour 
if possible.” 

“ Why, certainly you may go, Comstock, but you 
are bothering yourself unnecessarily. Gaston is a 
wonderful ferret. I have found that out on former 
occasions. However, suit yourselves.” 

It was dusk when Dick and Tommy reached the 
street, and as luck would have it, an M. P. was at 
that moment coming along the pavement toward 
headquarters. On inquiry Dick found that Gaston 
was even then but a square or two ahead of them, 
so quickening their footsteps they soon saw him 
walking along not fifty yards in advance. 

68 


U. S. MARINE 


“ Let us cross over where he would be less likely 
to see us in case he should turn around,” said Dick; 
“ and remember to keep in the shadow as much as 
possible. I wish to goodness we had something on 
besides these uniforms. If he spots us, he’s bound 
to suspect something and our quest will be useless. 
I believe he is going as straight to the club as if he 
were a homing pigeon.” 

Dick’s surmise was correct, and from the shelter 
of a doorway opj)osite they saw Gaston first pass by 
the entrance to the club at a hurried step and then, 
stopping suddenly, he returned at a much slower 
pace, and appeared to be looking cautiously about 
him. A second or two later he opened the club 
door and stepped into the dimly lighted hallway. 

“ What next? ” questioned Tommy, in an excited 
whisper; “ are you going in? ” 

“No, but I’m going to visit the roof of that build- 
ing,” said Dick, with determination. “ It’ll be a 
risky climb, but I believe we can do it. If we can 
get on the roof, then we will be able to slide down 
over the tiles to those dormer windows, and by hold- 
ing to the sides of them lower ourselves until we are 
able to look inside. The windows are open and we 
may see or hear something worth while.” 

“ But how are you going to get into the next 
house, though? ” asked Tommy. 

“ When we first came to St. Nazaire the IM. P. 

69 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

had the right to enter any house they desired in the 
prosecution of their business, but now we have to 
get a gendarme' before demanding admittance. 
There goes one now; Tommy, wait — I’ll get him! ” 
With the aid of the city official, entrance was 
quietly gained to the house adjoining the club, and 
soon Dick and Tommy were softly sliding over the 
tiling of the club-house roof itself, while the inter- 
ested gendarme and the oAvner of the house through 
which they had passed peered over the dividing wall, 
clinging to the tall chinmey for safety. 

It was ticklish business up there in the dark to 
go slipping over the weather-worn tiles down to the 
very eaves high up over the street, and then with 
stockinged feet resting on the gutter-trough, and 
the bare tips of one’s fingers clinging to the sides of 
the dormer-window, try to hold one’s self steadily 
so as to hear and see what was going on inside of the 
room. But both Tommy and Dick were soon in 
positions of vantage on opposite sides of the win- 
dow, through which the}^ could see that the members 
were still sitting about the long center dining-table. 
Even as they first peered over the sill they saw the 
door from below-stairs open and in came the club’s 
president followed by Gaston Lherisson, the inter- 
preter. All the diners turned at their entrance with 
looks of inquiry. 

^ Gendarme — A French police official. 

70 


[7. S, MARINE 


“ It is as I thought,” came the voice of Gottlieb, 
speaking in German, and once again Dick Com- 
stock thanked his lucky star for the hours he had 
spent in hard and earnest study when abroad as a 
youngster with his father, mother and Ursula, and 
also for the long talks with their faithful old 
cook Frieda in the home-kitchen back in New 
England, for Frieda’s home had been a little 
town on the banks of the Rhine and, as both the 
children had voyaged down that wonderful river 
on a sight-seeing excursion, there were ever 
recurrent questions which Frieda wished to ask 
of the homeland she had left when but a young 
girl. 

At Gottlieb’s announcement there was a sudden 
movement of those in the room as they gathered 
about him, but in his excitement he forgot his cau- 
tion for the time being and spoke in the same loud 
tone he had used on first entering. 

‘‘ Our agent here, who has, as you all know, been 
on duty at headquarters of the M. P., has been de- 
tailed by Captain Harrison to investigate us. Of 
course, he can for the present allay any suspicions 
which may be now aroused, but this cannot continue 
indefinitely. "WTiere there is so much smoke all of 
a sudden there is bound to be some flame. Gentle- 
men, I am afraid that this is but the beginning of 
our troubles. I have very important news to get 

71 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


off to-night and it must go without delay, therefore 
to jmiir i)osts at once/’ 

With the word of command someone in the room 
had turned on an electric switch, and the sound of a 
motor was audible; then came the unmistakable 
whirring and grinding of the dish-washing machine 
in the distant corner. Von Etten crossed the room, 
the secret panel flew back, and at the instant. 
Tommy Tui^ner, craning his neck in his excitement 
and desire to see all that was going on, for his ex- 
pert eye had recognized at once the wireless appa- 
ratus in the padded room behind the wall, slipped 
on the gutter, and with a warning cry he grabbed 
for the window-sill, missed it, slid with lightning- 
like swiftness over the few tiles below and then as 
his clutching finger-tips brushed over the edge of 
the roof they found lodgment in the insecure gut- 
ter-trough upon which his feet had formerly rested; 
and the next instant he was swaying and swinging 
in mid-air, sixty feet above the paved street 
below. 

It was a time for quick action and, regardless of 
the consequences to himself, Dick managed to 
squirm around into the dormer-window. Then, in 
plain view of the members of the club who were ad- 
vancing to their stations, this stocking-footed appa- 
rition turned his back upon them, reached far out of 
the window, and the next moment brought another 
72 


J7. S. MARINE 


like himself into the room, holding him by the seat 
of his trousers. He dropped Tommy in a heap on 
the floor and then faced the interior. 

Like so many frozen images the members of the 
Cercle Patriotique Frangais stared in open-mouthed 
wonder. Then the air cleared a little, but now be- 
came pregnant with danger. 

A cry from someone. An almost inhuman growl 
of anger from Gottlieb. A word of command. 
Tables were pushed aside. Chairs overturned. 
Then in a rush they made for the two officers with 
shouts of rage and anger. There was the glitter of 
knives; the flash of pistols. Someone at the back 
of the crowd hurled a heavy dish at Tommy as he 
struggled to his feet. It was the signal for a fusil- 
lade, and in return both Tommy and Dick fired at 
the men nearest them. Gaston Lherisson, the in- 
terpreter, fell, shot through the heart. The next 
moment the lights were switched off. Instantly 
grabbing Tommy by the collar of his khaki shirt, 
Dick crouched below the window-sill and made a 
rush for a corner of the room. Another volley of 
pistol-shots rang out, followed by the slither of 
broken glass and splitting of wood. Next came a 
voice calling loudly for everyone to escape. There 
came a clattering down the steps. A slamming of 
doors. Shouts were heard in the street, and sud- 
deiil}^— silence; except for the grinding, grinding, 
73 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


grinding of the dish-washing machine at the far end 
of the long room. 

By the time Dick and Tommy had found and 
turned on the lights there was the sound of people 
rushing up the stairs, and soon a crowd of gen- 
darmes, M. P.’s and curious citizens were pushing 
into the room. 

For days the old town of St. Nazaire was raked 
as with a fine-tooth comb, but in some miraculous 
manner the former members of Le Cercle Patri- 
otique Frangais had disappeared as if by magic. 


74 


CHAPTER VI 


UESULA TELLS A GHOST STORY 

To have to witness week after week, month after 
month, the arrival of the crowded transports, some 
still sombre in their warlike gray, others gaily 
blotched and splotched in geometric or fantastic de- 
signs made up of every color in the rainbow’s spec- 
trum, breaking their outlines and thereby making 
difficult targets for the under-water engines of de- 
struction by which the Germans hoped to stem, if 
not totally destroy, the tide of the steadily arriving 
flower of America’s young manhood; to see these 
young men, eager, enthusiastic, marching over the 
ship’s gangways with firm and steady tread and 
their faces alight with the belief in their power, and 
the righteousness of their cause ; to see them, — ^hun- 
dreds upon hundreds, thousands upon thousands, — 
pass through the streets of the city on their way to 
entrain in the curious little cattle-cars which later 
were augmented by real American box-cars brought 
from American shops across the water, and then 
with the cheers of the populace ringing in their ears, 
go on to the training areas ; to labor under the belief 
that after all their earnest endeavor, despite the fact 
75 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

that they were first to land, they were to be the last 
to fight; seeing and feeling all these things, is it any 
great wonder that these patient, plodding, hard- 
working marines in the back areas began to believe 
that they were being shoved into the wings as use- 
less sujpernumeraries and that the play was to go on 
without them? 

Even the Commanding General’s complimentary 
letter of explanation failed to find a corresponding 
echo in their hearts nor cheered them up. Came a 
marine battalion here, another there, a machine-gun 
contingent, replacement troops, ever to be whisked 
away, leaving the faithful Third Battalion always 
behind. 

“ They’ll be keeping us holding the bag so long,” 
remarked Tommy Turner, “ that when we ever do 
catch a Hun to put inside, it’ll be such a time since 
we’ve tried to close the darn thing that he’s more 
than likely to jump out of it.” 

“ To a certain point you are right, Tommj^ but I 
don’t believe that we ever will get so stale that we 
can’t manage to give a good accounting of our- 
selves. The marines have never failed to come 
across with the real goods yet, so don’t worry,” said 
Dick, who was busy at the time when Tommy inter- 
rupted studying out some of the features of a con- 
fidential pamphlet he had recently received. 

‘T know, Dick; but this business of doing ordi- 
76 


U. S. MARINE 


nary guard duty and police work and all that sort 
of stuff gets my goat,” exclaimed the disgruntled 
young officer. “ Why, everyone sort of sneers at 
us, it seems to me. By the way, have you heard the 
new versions of the Marines’ Hymn? Well, I’ll 
sing them to you, — here goes,” and Tommy broke 
into song. 

He had gotten well through the verses without 
attracting Dick’s attention, but finally the rhythm 
and the roar of Tommy’s voice was no longer to be 
denied, and Dick looked up from the printed page 
to listen : 


< I 

When the army landed safe and sound 
And were shipped to other scenes. 

They left the work they should have done 
To the United States Marines. 

So here we are in Saint Nazaire, 

And our guns have rusty hores; 

We are working side hy side with Huns 
And with darky stevedores. 

If the Army or the Navy 
Ever gaze on Heaven* s scenes 
They will find the roads are graded 
By the United States Marines.** 

With the completion of the song the door to the 
room was flung open and Gordon Graham stepped 
inside. It was the first time he had visited the 

77 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


quarters of the two marines since that clay some 
months previous when he had left in such a temper, 
and although Dick had once called on him when the 
transport to which he was attached happened to be 
in port, Gordon appeared to be still in a “ huff,” 
and Dick was not long in taking his dei)arture. 

“ Have you been singing your infernal old song 
ever since the last time I was here. Tommy? ” asked 
Gordon, seemingly ready at once to start some- 
thing. 

“No, indeed, ‘Admiral,’” ansAvered Tommy; 
“ if you had but listened carefully you would have 
discovered that the verses are all ncAV. But pos- 
sibly you would like to have me sing the old verses 
and then the new ones for your special benefit, and 
you could better appreciate ” 

“ Keep quiet. Tommy! Hello, Gordon; glad to 
see you,” said Dick, ready at once to meet his for- 
mer chum half-way. “ Come on in, and make your- 
self at home. If you sing another Avord, I’ll lock 
you in the closet,” he added, turning to the grinning 
Tommy. 

“ ’Fraid I can’t stop long, Dick,” said Gordon. 
“ I ran in to see if you Avere here for tAvo reasons: I 
have a letter for you from your mother, and also 
there’s an old friend of yours Avaiting beloAv to see 
you.” 

“ Why didn’t he come up? ” questioned Dick. 

78 


t7. S. MARINE 

“ Well, I wasn’t sure you were still living here, 
Dick,” responded Gordon, “ but wait. I’ll get 
him.” 

Soon he reappeared bringing with him an Ameri- 
can dressed in the olive-drab uniform of the army, 
and with the brassard of the newspaper correspond- 
ent on his coat-sleeve. 

“ There’s your man,” said Gordon, addressing 
the stranger and pointing toward Dick. 

“And not changed a bit,” exclaimed the other, 
“ unless it is for the better, possibly. Glad to see 
you, Comstock.” 

“And I’m sure some glad to see you,” said Dick, 
grasping the newcomer heartily, with both hands on 
his shoulders. “ You’ve come right in the nick of 
time, so to speak, for I was contemplating having a 
party to-night in honor of my sister’s birthday, and 
now you shall be included, and you too, Gordon,” 
he said, turning to the naval officer. “ I know that 
she’ll be glad to see you again. She reported last 
week at 101 — that’s the former Base Hospital 
Number One — it’s advanced a hundred numbers. 
We’ll send word to Ursula right away and get her 
to bring some of the others along who are off duty; 
it will be a regular party.” 

“ Thank you, Dick, I’ll be there,” said Tommy, 
first to rush into the breach no matter what the oc- 
casion, “ but I’d be much obliged if you’d introduce 
79 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

your friend; that is, providing you’re not ashamed 
of him.” 

“You must pardon my roommate; he’s not all 
there,” said Dick, turning to the newspaperman and 
tapping his forehead significantly, “ but you may as 
well know him now, for you are bound to sooner or 
later if you’re going to stay in France — Mr. Rich- 
ards, allow me to do my friend the honor of having 
you meet him — ^INlr. Frank Richards — ^Lieutenant 
Turner.” 

“ Chawmed, my deah sir,” drawled Tommy, 
“ and I’ll bet a five-franc piece that you’re the same 
Richards who helped Dick out down in Vera Cruz 
and in Haiti. Am I right? ” 

“ There must be some error in Dick’s state- 
ments,” said Richards with a smile; “ I helped him 
into several messes and he helped himself out, so far 
as I remember.” 

“ If you fellows don’t mind,” said Dick, “ I’ll ask 
to be excused while I read Mother’s letter and then 
send it over to Ursula, and also fix up things for the 
dinner. Do you all accept? Good! For I know 
the finest place for our party in St. ^^azaire — and 
after you all have eaten there you’ll agree that I’m 
right.” 

“ Where is it, Dick? ” asked Gordon. 

“ You never heard of it, Gordon; it’s the rooms 
formerly occui^ied by a supposed-to-be French pa- 
80 


U. S. MARINE 


triotic club, but which turned out to be the habitat 
of a lot of German and Austrian spies. It will be 
interesting to you, Richards, — right along your for- 
mer line of work.” 

“ Not too loud, my friend,” cautioned Richards, 
quietly. “ It still may be my work — but you know 
it is none too popular an occupation even though it 
is a necessary one.” 

“ Excuse me, old chap,” said Dick, quick to ac- 
knowledge his fault. “ I did speak unthinkingly; 
but to continue about this place we are to visit, I 
just wanted to add that it is now under the manage- 
ment of the French Red Cross workers, and they 
serve some wonderful meals there. It’s only been 
opened about ten days. Tommy, look after our 
gaiests for a bit and make them comfy, will you? ” 
and with that he disappeared into the adjoining 
room to read the letter which Gordon had brought 
him. 

Between Dick Comstock, his mother, father and 
sister, there was possibly a much stronger bond than 
there is ordinarily in most American families. Be- 
sides the natural love and respect, there was a com- 
radeship existing in the Comstock household ever 
since the two children could recall, which had 
brought them all in a closer and more intimate com- 
munion. John Comstock and his wife made it a 
point to be their children’s companions, participators 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

in their games and pleasures, whenever and wher- 
ever possible, and the foundations thus formed, in 
addition to the usual and to-be-expected parental 
ones, made a “ family combination hard to beat,” 
according to Ursula’s oft-stated views. Thus it 
was that in spite of long absences from home and 
often under almost impossible conditions, Dick 
never forgot his weekly letters to his mother. True, 
there had been times when he could not write be- 
cause of circumstances beyond his control, but these 
occasions were few and far between; and his moth- 
er’s letters to him had undoubtedly saved the boy 
from making many a false step which he might 
otherwise have made. 

If mothers realized that fact more fully, there are 
many boys — even older men — in the service to-day 
whose whole military career would have been better 
and their records cleaner. It is the little, intimate, 
homely home-happenings which the boys serving 
the flag the world over want to hear about, and the 
printed newspaper can never take the place of the 
familiar handwriting nor ever receive such a wel- 
coming heart-throb. 

It was not long before Dick had despatched an 
orderly with the invitation, and he returned to his 
guests to find Tommy ending the story of the excit- 
ing events connected with the detection of the spies. 

“ You see,” the young man was saying in conclu- 
82 


V, S. MARINE 


sion, “ they had a mighty cute device. During the 
day they must have had a relay station for impor- 
tant messages, but I imagine they did most of their 
work at night, when they could both send and re- 
ceive messages right across the border. The whole 
side of that third story had been moved about four 
feet from the dividing wall between it and the next 
house. It had been rebuilt so that to the ordinary 
observer the room would appear as wide as any of 
those below, and in that narrow space we found 
enough paraphernalia to erect two more wireless 
plants. The washing-machine concealed a power- 
ful motor, and they stole their current from the city. 
Up in the high chimney pots were concealed tele- 
scopic, wireless masts which were run up by means 
of a hand mechanism concealed in the narrow room. 
They were experts, all right,” ended Tommy. 

“ How many of the gang were captured? ” in- 
quired Richards, who had been listening intently to 
all Tommy had to say. 

“ Not a single one; and that is the strange part of 
it. Even in the darkness, Dick and I heard them 
going down the stairs and the gendarmes and peo- 
ple from the street rushing up. There must have 
been over a dozen men in the room when we were 
looking through the window and yet only the man 
Gaston remained — he was shot dead. It is thought 
that they mingled with the crowd and as they were 

83 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

well known no one suspected them, and by the time 
we could give some information as to their identity 
they had got outside and disappeared.” 

“ Were any of their records found — papers or 
documents of any kind? ” 

“ Nothing except a list of the club’s members — 
all names of Frenchmen. On investigation it was 
found that many of them had lived in St. Nazaire 
for years, but they didn’t stay long after that night. 
The matter was, of course, turned over to the 
French authorities, and if they have discovered any- 
thing more they haven’t said anything about it. 
But you can believe me, we marines showed up the 
lax methods of these Frenchmen right enough, but 
they are on the job now, I guess.” 

“ Yet I’ll wager the town is still full of spies,” 
said Richards. “ In fact, they are about every- 
where.” 

“We have even found them right aboard our 
transports and our men-of-war,” added Gordon, 
“ and it is unsafe to open your mouth in public back 
home. If you say the slightest thing against the 
Government’s policy you’re likely to be under sus- 
picion and watched from that time on.” 

A few hours later a jolly little party tramped up 
the narrow stairs to the top story of the old house 
where active Red Cross workers had established 
their thoroughly appointed cafe, already famous for 
84 


U. S. MARINE 

its French cuisine, and patronized almost exclu- 
sively by officers of the various services or their 
friends. In most particulars the room retained its 
former features. The glistening range presided 
over by white-capped chefs, the shining array of 
coi^per cooking utensils, even the washing-machine, 
now utilized for legitimate uses only, was standing 
in its accustomed corner, but the long center table 
had given place to smaller ones, and there was the 
touch of care and comfort which only feminine 
hands are able to impart. 

Dick had arranged previously for his guests, and 
a round table to one side of the room had been set 
and decorated for the occasion. Ursula and Marie 
had brought two girl friends with them, and the 
party of eight were prepared to enjoy fully the 
good things which they knew would soon be putting 
in an appearance. 

“ How delightful this looks,” remarked Marie, 
as Dick drew back her chair for her; “ one finds it 
difficult to believe that a few weeks ago this was a 
nest of spies, and dangerous ones, too.” 

“ It was some nest, all right,” said Tommy from 
his place across the table, where he sat with his back 
to the wall, “ and I can assure you it looks far more 
pleasant and peaceful to-night than it did when 
Dick yanked me in through that window over there 
to face a lot of angrv hornets.” 

85 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ I think you were both lucky to have got out of 
the mess without a scratch,” said Ursula, giving her 
brother an admiring look. “ See there, Gordon, 
over the window you can see plainly the places 
where a lot of the shots fired at Dick and Tommy 
splintered the wood.” 

“ I see them, and in a sense am thankful for them, 
otherwise I’d not be enjoying such a delicious soup 
this evening. My, but this is a relief from ship’s 
fare. I must thank the good fairy that brought me 
ashore to-day.” 

“ Your speaking of fairies reminds me of a tale I 
heard from one of the nurses, not about fairies but 
about ghosts, and it has to do with this very room 
we are in,” said Ursula. 

“ Oh, tell us,” said the others; so Ursula con- 
tinued : 

“ It appears that when they first opened these 
rooms it was decided that the old chef could have a 
cot up here at night and sleep here. It would not 
only save him room rent, but would also be quite 
convenient to have him around in case of need after 
hours. The first night he slept here he was awak- 
ened by strange noises on two or three occasions, 
but believing it to be rats up in the eaves, he did not 
think much about it. On the second night, how- 
ever, he suddenly found himself sitting straight up 
in bed listening. He believed again it was the rats 
86 


U, S. MARINE 


which had awakened him, so he settled down once 
more on his pillow, but he had been so startled that 
sleep did not return readily. Finally he heard a 
furtive sound as of boards being slid one on an- 
other, very carefully, and then he plainly distin- 
guished a soft footfall somewhere in the room. 

“ Incidentally his cot was placed against the wall 
— over there directly opposite us, with the foot of it 
near the secret door, which as you all see leads into 
the room where the wireless apparatus was installed 
and which is now used as a storeroom for provisions. 
Now — but perhaps this doesn’t interest you — shall 
I go on? ” 

“ Yes, yes, go on! It’s a good story! ” came the 
reassuring replies. 

“ Please do. I find it extremely interesting.” 
This from Richards, who was sitting at Ursula’s 
left hand, and who was listening carefully to each 
word the girl uttered. 

“ Well, to go on, then, Old Louis remained per- 
fectly still. In fact, he was by now trembling with 
fright. Soon he saw the figure of a man flit across 
the room and to the wall near the foot of his cot. 
There was no further sound as the thing moved, 
and he swears that as it passed between him and the 
window he could see right through it. So para- 
lyzed with fear was the old fellow that he could 
neither move nor call for assistance, and besides, 

87 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

what assistance could he hope for at the top of a 
deserted house? 

“ For some time the shadow, or ghost, as he calls 
it, fumbled about at the foot of his bed, feeling care- 
fully of the panels. Finally there was the rattle of 
a padlock — as if the ghost had suddenly moved 
against it in the dark, and then came a sound as of 
someone exclaiming in anger the word ^ verdainmt/ 
Old Louis may be a believer in ghosts, but he is also 
a hater of anything German, and when this v/ord 
struck his ear he immediately made up his mind that 
he would face the Boche spirit come what may, so 
with a mighty effort he arose and rushed for the 
shadow at the footboard, but his clutching hands 
caught merely emptiness. Now he was really con- 
vinced of the supernaturalness of his visitor and 
stood rooted to the spot, listening intently. Again 
he heard the sliding as of boards over the floor from 
this side of the room, and then silence. 

“As soon as he regained control of his legs the 
old fellow rushed down the stairs and out into the 
street. Since then he positively refuses to sleep 
here, and though many people laughed at his tale, 
it is nevertheless true that you can’t get a French- 
man of the servant class to stay in this room, day or 
night, alone, for love nor money.” 

For a moment or two after the end of Ursula’s 
tale there was an appreciable silence, and then there 
88 


J7. S. MARINE 


came a seemingly deafening crash. Everyone was 
startled. Some of the nurses jumped to their feet. 
Then came a roar of laughter from Tommy Tur- 
ner: 

“ Oh, my, but I couldn't resist the temptation ! 
You all looked just ready to jump out of your 
skins. It was psychologically the right moment," 
and off he went into another spasm of laughing. 
The young rascal had deliberately dropped a plat- 
ter on the hardwood floor, smashing the china plate 
into a thousand pieces. “ Ursula, you did yourself 
proud, and — here," he said to one of the little wait- 
resses who, in cap and apron, came hurrying up 
with broom and pan for cleaning, “ here. I'll help 
you clear up the mess; it's only fair." 

He tried to rise from his seat, but being rather 
awkwardly placed near the wall, he stumbled 
slightly, and to save himself from falling he braced 
his hand against the dark wainscoting back of his 
chair. 

“ Look ! " exclaimed Richards excitedly from his 
place opposite Tommy, “ the panel is moving," and 
quickly rising, he ran around the table and placing 
his fingers in the slight opening he exerted his full 
strength on the time-worn board. Under their 
united efforts the panel slid fully two feet to one 
side with the peculiar grinding noise of boards be- 
ing slid along the floor flat-wise, and the bright 
89 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

light from the table shining through the opening 
showed the entrance to another secret passage. 

“ By Jinks, that’s how those fellows escaped that 
night,” exclaimed Tommy, “ and I’ll bet someone 
of them has tried to come back looking for some- 
thing or other concealed in the storeroom opposite.” 

“ Let us close it at once,” advised Richards, 
“ and make report to the proper authorities. I be- 
lieve Lieutenant Turner’s surmise is probably cor- 
rect, and if I can arrange it. I’ll try and be present 
when the French Secret Service people investigate 
the matter. It should make a fine newspaper or 
magazine story after the war is over.” 

As Frank Richards was helping to close the panel 
he noticed a piece of crumpled paper lying just in- 
side the opening. Picking up the little scrap un- 
seen by the others, he returned to his place and un- 
der cover of the excited fiow of conversation, he 
smoothed out the many wrinkles and discovered 
several words written thereon — evidently part of an 
address. 

With some trouble he succeeded in making out 
enough of the words to enlighten him, and it was 
with satisfaction that he found it was part of an 
envelope addressed to a Colonel Gottlieb von Et- 
ton, in care of a firm in Vera Cruz, which in some 
manner had found its way to this little seaport town 
of France. 


90 


U. S. MARINE 


“ What luck! ” he thought, as he folded the paper 
and placed it in his pocket. “ The first day I land 
I find a clue to the very man whom I have been sent 
across to seek. And this time when I find him the 
State Department has given me a free rein. Some- 
times a ‘ state of war ’ has its decided advantages.” 


91 


CHAPTER VII 


OFF FOR THE TRAINING AREA 

“ Yes, it looks encouraging, and if I were to offer 
you any advice it would be that you settle all your 
little affairs as expeditiously as possible and stand 
by for sudden orders to move.” 

CaiDtain Harrison had dropped in for a sociable 
little chat with Dick and Tommy one cool, crisp 
morning early in January, and they had been dis- 
cussing the one topic of which they never tired — the 
chances of going on to the front areas and getting 
mixed up in the seething mass of fighting men 
gripped in deadly struggle along that battle line, 
which, beginning at the English Channel, stretched 
its sinuous length in ever-bending, ever-changing 
snake-like curves far, far to the eastward, even to 
the fabled lands of the rising sun. 

“ There must be something in the air, sir, else 
why should these men of the One Hundred and 
Sixty-third have been ordered to accompany our 
men on M. P. for the past two days? It must be 
to get them accustomed to the routine duties,” re- 
plied Dick. 

“And these fellows of the Third Battalion have 
92 


C7. S. MARINE 

been here now for over a month,” added Tommy. 
“ Why, they are familiar with every twist and turn 
in this old burg by now — they know the ropes, all 
right, and they are the logical people to relieve us. 
I know their officers feel that we’ve put something 
over on them. They hardly are civil when you 
meet ’em these last two days. I guess they forget 
that it’s seven long, weary months since we got 
stung for this S. O. S.' job, and it’s now someone 
else’s turn to ‘ carry on.’ ” 

“ Well, gentlemen, as I have stated, the word is 
liable to come at any moment, so be prepared to 
catch the first train out,” said the senior officer as 
he rose and began to button his greatcoat prepara- 
tory to leaving the warmth of the cozy room for the 
chilly air outside. 

“ We’ll catch that first train without fail, sir,” 
said Dick, rising also. “ By the way. Captain 
Harrison, during a discussion a few nights ago 
among some officers of the different services, a re- 
mark was made that we marines had no business 
ashore here anyway, and that we were more of a 
nuisance than a help to the army. They said the 
army didn’t need us, nor did it know what to do 
with us. One young naval officer attached to naval 
headquarters here made the statement that our place 
was either on shipboard or at home to be ready for 

* Service of Supply. 

93 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

the Navy’s call, and not over here serving with and 
under army officers.” 

“ What did you have to remark about that, Corn- 
stock — for I imagine you didn’t let him get away 
with it unchallenged? ” 

“ I did say something I thought in our favor, sir, 
but I wanted to get your ideas regarding our posi- 
tion here in case I am twitted again about the mat- 
ter.” 

“ Suppose you first tell me what you had to say, 
and then I’ll see what needs to be added,” suggested 
the Captain. 

Dick’s face flushed, and he cleared his throat as if 
embarrassed for the moment. 

“ To tell the truth, sir, I’d been hearing so many 
similar remarks of late that I’m afraid I lost my 
temper a bit, and — well, I said in the first place that 
I probably knew more about what the marines were 
supposed to be, and supposed to do, than the whole 
lot of them put together. Yes, it was rather much 
of a brag, sir, but my good nature has been strained 
a lot since we’ve been in St. Nazaire these months, 
and at times my tongue does get the better of my 
head.” 

Captain Harrison merely smiled, and Dick con- 
tinued: 

“ Next I told them exactly what I have been led 
to believe is the mission of the Marine Corps as an 
94 


U. S. MARINE 


organization — it is primarily supposed to supply 
the navy with such ex];)editionary forces as are con- 
sidered necessary in time of war. When I made 
that statement someone, who thought they had me 
cornered, said, ‘ By your own argument, then, you 
have proven that the presence of marines in France 
is outside their mission.’ ” 

The Captain’s eyes and lips smiled, but he said 
nothing, so Dick went on : 

“ Of course, the majority present thought that 
ended the matter and that I couldn’t add anything 
in our favor, but I replied that the reason we ap- 
peared to have failed in our primary mission was 
entirely due to the fact that our country did not 
enter the war soon enough. In April, 1917, when 
the President declared that a state of war existed 
between Germany and the United States, the fleets 
of Germany, Austria and Turkey were bottled up 
by the Allied fleets, and their merchant marine was 
either destroyed or interned. The only thing in the 
shape of war vessels which they had on the high seas 
were their submarines, hence there was no real naval 
mission for us, and consequently to permit a well- 
trained force such we had to lie uselessly waiting for 
a mission which could not materialize would be fool- 
ish in the extreme, and unless we fought with the 
army over here we would be idle. It was with that 
very idea in view, I imagine, that Congress inserted 
95 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


that clause which made us available for duty with 
the army at the discretion of the President. I also 
stated that we were at the present time serving in a 
dual capacity, for not only were our surplus men 
being made available for this service in the actual 
theater of operations with the army, but we were at 
the same time furnishing the navy with efficient ma- 
rine guards for the fleets in the North Sea, the Pa- 
cific and the Atlantic. Also, we had our men doing 
the duty of their regular authentic mission in Haiti 
and San Domingo, while others were constantly 
ready for any unexpected call the navy might make 
on them.’’ 

‘‘ I hardly think anyone could have expressed the 
situation more clearly, Comstock, nor more cor- 
rectly. As you said, our first duty — our raison 
d' etre — is for this service with and for the navy, and 
the necessity for this service being over, or their 
calls supplied and probable future calls being 
provided for, then there is every reason for us 
to use our surplus forces as will best benefit our 
country. You did well, sir, and I congratulate 
you.” 

“ Thank you. Captain Harrison; I did not repeat 
this talk merely to receive your compliments, 
though 1 am glad of them, but to see chiefly if I was 
right in my statements.” 

“Absolutely so, and now I must be off. Good- 
96 


U, S. MARINE 

morning to you both,” and with a genial bow he 
departed. 

“ I say, Dick, old top, you’ll be going back to the 
States before you have a chance to hear the roar of 
the big guns if you keep up that sort of stuff,” vol- 
unteered Tommy, after the door had closed upon 
their C. O. 

“ What do you mean by that remark? ” asked 
Dick, curiously. 

“ Oh, nothing, only the War College needs a lot 
of shining lights these days, and I can see that 
you’re headed straight for the front door of the ‘ in- 
dee-too-shun,’ as my kid sister calls ’em. And you 
sure did put our friend the ‘Admiral ’ down and 
out the other night. Do you know, Dick, I am be- 
ginning to think that Gordon is envious of you and 
all you’ve seen and done. I believe, after all, he 
wishes he was a marine.” 

“And I believe you don’t know what you are 
talking about. Tommy. Come on, let’s go. It’s 
time for luncheon and I’m hungry. It’s after mess 
call.” 

“All right, I’m ready — but don’t forget your 
overcoat, Dickie, with its nice new sunburst under 
the old scrambled egg.” 

“ It does look pretty fine, doesn’t it? ” said Dick, 
looking admiringljr at the sleeves of the coat on 
which had been sewn that very morning the little 
97 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 




The sleeve ornaments worn on mess jacket and full dress blue nni- 
forms, embroidered in gold braid and on overcoats in forestry green braid. 
1. Warrant OflBicer. 2. Second Lieutenant. 3. First Lieutenant. 
4. Captain. 5. Major. 6. Lieutenant-Colonel. 7. Colonel. 8. Briga- 
dier General. 9. Major General, Comraandent. 

98 


[7. S. MARINE 


scrolls of braid which denoted his recent promotion 
to the rank of First Lieutenant. ‘‘ I had the great- 
est time explaining to Ursula and Marie the way 
one tells our officers’ rank by the sleeve devices on 
their overcoats. I remember when Ursula first saw 
the flashy gold and red devices on an officer’s dress- 
coat some years ago she said it reminded her of a 
Spanish omelette, ‘ but an exceptionally fine-look- 
ing one,’ she was kind enough to add, and inciden- 
tally I noticed that she seemed to like to keep her 
eyes on it.” 

“ I’ll admit they are twisters for the uninitiated 
to understand, and they keep ’em guessing until 
they happen to lamp the metal rank devices on our 
shoulder straps,” said Tommy. 

As Tommy took hold of the handle of the door to 
open it he felt the knob turning and flinging open 
the portal he saw Ursula standing outside, with her 
pretty face drawn and white. She immediately 
rushed toward Dick and threw herself into his 
arms, sobbing bitterly. 

“ I’d better beat it while the goin’s good,” said 
Tommy, and he left the room precipitately. 

‘‘ Oh, Dickie, boy,” exclaimed the girl, as soon as 
she could control herself enough to talk coherently, 
“ the worst news has just come to Marie. Her 
mother has been dangerously wounded and Mr. 
Faure has sent for Marie to come to Paris at once. 

99 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

You know how kind Mrs. Faure has been to me 
during all these awful months and years over here, 
and you must know how grieved I am. As for 
poor Marie, she is beside herself with grief and anx- 
iety. I am going to Paris with her, Dick, and we 
leave almost at once.” 

“ How , — when did it happen? ” said her brother. 

“ The German planes raided Paris yesterday 
evening, Dick, and Mrs. Faure was terribly injured 
by one of their horrible bombs. Oh, how I hate 
those Huns ! ” And Ursula’s eyes flashed menac- 
ingly and she clenched her hands in futile protest 
against the inhumanity of the act she was relating. 
“Marie’s father telegraphed a friend who lives here, 
so it seems, and he is going to accompany us. He 
was about to leave for Paris in his machine when 
the message arrived, and now he has offered to take 
us with him. He says we will get there much 
sooner than if we took the train. Everything is 
slow moving now because of the many troop trains 
pulling out of here and from Brest, and it is a hard 
trip either way. I ran over to say ‘ good-bye,’ and 
to let you know, Dickie, and I thought you might 
like to see Marie, too, before we left. But you 
must hurry, and then, too, I thought that — maybe 
— perhaps, you might get leave to go with us. 
Monsieur Sandeau says we must start within a half- 
hour so as to reach some place before something oc- 
100 


C/. S. MARINE 


curs, I don’t know just what, I didn’t listen ; but I 
know there will be room in the car, and I’m fear- 
fully worried, Dick.” 

“ You hurry back to Marie, Ursula, and I’ll see 
if I can make it. I’ll be over as soon as I find out, 
and see you either way. I’ll have to hurry,” and, 
after explaining it all to Tommy, who accompanied 
Ursula to the hospital, he hastened away to find 
Captain Harrison and seeure the necessary permis- 
sion to apply for the leave desired, but as he turned 
into the C. O.’s quarters an orderly came hurrying 
from the door and on seeing Dick he brought him- 
self up with a sudden stiffening of the baek and, 
giving a snappy salute, he fairly roared his mes- 
sage: 

“ The Captain’s compliments, sir, and this com- 
pany will prepare to entrain at once,” this far he 
got with a sober countenance though his voice was 
rising all the time; then his joy getting the better 
of him, his face fairly wrinkled over its entire sur- 
face with smiles of delight and he almost shouted the 
rest of his message so that it could be heard even 
to the Rhine : “ The hull battalyun’s goin’, sir. 
We’re to pull out of th’ station at one-fifteen, G. M. 
sharp. Ain’t y’ glad so’s ’t you could cry almost, 
sir? ” 

Had this news come at any other time during 
those long months of waiting Dick Comstock would 

lOI 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

probably have danced with joy, but coming now he 
found it difficult to analyze the exact state of his 
mind. He glanced at his watch: less than an hour 
to prepare and now any chance he might have had 
of accompanying his sister and Marie to Paris was 
lost. In the face of orders to move he could not 
think of making such a request. 

Out from the temporary barracks the men came 
joyously tumbling, their packs already strapped to 
their stalwart shoulders, and filling the street with 
the noise of their laughter, their cheers, their sing- 
ing. Heavy motor trucks were backing to the curb 
preparatory to loading up with the company imped- 
imenta. An officer from one of the companies of 
the infantry battalion detailed to take over the 
duties of the M. P. hurried up to inquire if 
he was sx)eaking with Lieutenant Comstock, and 
if so, he was anxious to learn about certain 
matters connected with duties before Dick de- 
parted. 

With something like a groan poor Dick turned 
from the door and in company with the officer, hur- 
ried to his lodgings. Here he found Tommy stand- 
ing in the middle of the room surrounded on all 
sides by clothing, equipment, necessities and useless 
articles, looking desperately about him, not know- 
ing where first to begin his packing. 

“ Of course you’ve heard the news, Dick,” said 
102 


U. S. MARINE 


Tommy, ‘‘but I suppose you will join us later. 
What! You’re not going with the girls? You 
didn’t ask? No, I see it now, — of course you 
couldn’t at such a time. It’s hard luck, Dick, but 
they will get along fine, and going by motor they’ll 
get there much easier and quicker than they would 
by train. I think they are lucky to be able to make 
the trip that way. I saw the car. It’s a dandy big 
touring car. It was waiting in front of the hospital 
and they were putting their baggage aboard just as 
I was leaving. Mr. What’s-his-name seemed im- 
patient to be off.” 

“ I’ll send over word right awaj^” said Dick, and 
quickly he scribbled off two little notes, telling his 
sister and Marie why he could not go with them 
nor come to see them off. 

Then came the work of hurried packing. The 
minutes seemed to be winged so quickly did they 
fly, and soon the word was passed to “ Fall in.” 
Briskly the company marched to the station and 
crowded aboard the little French cattle-cars, by now 
world renowned because of the sign high up on one 
corner which read “ Hommes 32 — 40. Chevauoo 8 
{en long ) .” " Then came the jangling of bells, the 
slamming of doors, the jerking of the train, and a 
long-drawn whistle of the locomotive; the last bat- 
talion of the Fifth Regiment of Marines had begun 

* 32 to 40 men : 8 horses lengthwise. 

103 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

its long journey to the scenes of activity in the 
training camps well south of Verdun. 

With other officers of the battalion, Dick found 
himself assigned to a berth in one of the second- 
class coaches of the long train. As he leaned from 
the window to catch a last glimpse of old St. Na- 
zaire, he saw Frank Richards leap from a motor 
side-car which had come skimming down the road. 
Richards ran to the train and along the platform. 
Dick heard his own name being called and leaning 
far out of the window he waved his hat and suc- 
ceeded in attracting his friend’s attention. 

“ Hello, Richards,” he called, “ here I am. 
Sorry you didn’t get here sooner. We’re off to take 
our j)ari in the show, old man! Good luck! Au 
revoir ! ” 

The war correspondent was now running along 
beside the car, apparently much excited but also 
out of breath. 

“ Where are Ursula and Miss Faure? ” he finally 
managed to shout. 

Dick could hardly hear him above the noise of 
the men cheering over their own departure, but he 
shouted in return : 

“ Gone to Paris. Miss Faure’s mother injured in 
air raid night before last.” 

“ Who took them? How did they go? ” 

“ Friend of the family. A Monsieur Sandeau — 
104 


V. S. MARINE 

lives here in St. Nazaire. They went by auto,” 
yelled Dick. 

By now the car was passing the end of the plat- 
form and the barrier prevented Richards from go- 
ing further. He stopped and trying still to make 
his words audible he cupped his hands and shouted 
loudly, but the even, quickening rumble of the car 
wheels, the continued calls and cheering made Dick 
lose all but the last few words — “ Don’t worry, I’ll 
look out for them.” He smiled his thanks and with 
another wave of his hand his friend was lost to view. 

Thus it was that Dick went on his way feeling 
that he was leaving those he loved in excellent 
hands, and never for a moment realizing that in- 
stead of their being perfectly safe and free from 
danger they were at the very moment entangled in 
a skein that Frank Richards was to find hard in- 
deed to unravel. The whole sentence that he failed 
to catch was: “ Paris was not raided two nights ago. 
There is something wrong, but don’t worry, I’ll look 
out for them.” 


105 


CHAPTER VIII 


M. SANDEAU DRIVES HIS OWN CAR 

“ Monsieur Sandeau, this is my friend, Made- 
moiselle Comstock; she has volunteered to accom- 
pany me.” 

The man whom Marie addressed turned abruptly 
from superintending the placing of the luggage in 
the tonneau of the car standing at the curb before 
the Base Hospital at St. Nazaire, and his cold gray 
eyes seemed to send forth a spark of warmth as he 
mechanically acknowledged the introduction. In- 
deed he would have been a stone image if some flut- 
ter of admiration had not warmed him as he looked 
first at the tall, beautiful girl with the wealth of 
waving flaxen hair, and the deep blue eyes, and 
then at the other, smaller, doll-like, but equally at- 
tractive, who had spoken the words in a voice which 
struggled to be brave, but which failed to conceal 
the tremor of fear within its tones. 

“ Mees Coomstock!” repeated Sandeau, but his 
eyes met Ursula’s for a second only, and then 
sweeping quickly over Marie came finally to rest on 
the fa9ade of the building in back of the two girls. 
“ Then you will not have to make the journey alone. 
Mademoiselle Faure; it is better so.” 

io6 


L\ S. MARINE 


“ Miss Comstock had asked her brother to accom- 
pany us also, Monsieur, but he cannot do so. His 
battalion has this morning been ordered to the front, 
therefore we need not keep you waiting longer. 
We have received word from him by his orderly.” 

“ Ah! Then Mees Coomstock has a brother here 
in the service? ” and this time his eyes travelled back 
from the building to look with increased interest at 
Marie’s companion. He opened the car door. 

“We will go then, and at once. The way is long. 
It is well you have a companion, for it would be 
lonesome for you, mademoiselle. When I drive in 
this weather I must give all my attention to the car. 
I trust you do not fear fast going. One drives 
rapidly when one goes to Paris by auto these days. 
But have no fear, ladies, I am most careful and 
know the route perfectly.” 

Then followed the thud of the door, and in a mo- 
ment more Monsieur Sandeau had taken his place 
in the driver’s seat. There came the whirr of the 
starter and quickly followed the all but silent hum 
of the motor. Slowly at first, the powerful car 
moved off on its long journey. Soon the limits of. 
the city were reached and then as though released 
from its bonds the wonderful machine seemed to 
leap forward to its task, smoothly, silently. 

Cosily tucked away under heavy rugs, wi-apped 
in their warm capes and cloaks the two girls nestled 
107 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


down on the cushioned seat behind the inside wind- 
shield with which the car was provided and which 
separated the tonneau quite effectively from the 
driver’s seat in front. Though the snow lay over 
the countryside, the roads were practically free 
from the ice particles and this fact made the driv- 
ing much easier and safer. The exhilaration of the 
open air, the rush through the villages, fields and 
forests brougiit the color to the cheeks of the two 
passengers, and had the journey been made under 
other than the present conditions how their spirits 
too would have responded to the wonder and beauty 
of it all. 

On and on through the afternoon; fast and furi- 
ously. They caught but fleeting glimpses of the 
cities along the way and even had they been familiar 
with their route they might have experienced diffi- 
culty in recognizing even prominent landmarks. 
The driver, never moving, small, wiry, his eyes, be- 
hind the goggles, glued to the road ahead, sat 
hunched behind the wheel. So low was he in the 
seat that he was hardly visible. He never spoke, 
never volunteered any information as to the places 
of interest through which they passed, but like an 
automaton, with marvellous confidence in his dex- 
terity and ability, never faltered at crossings, never 
hesitated at turnings. 

Night fell. The sun sinking behind them in a 
io8 


U. S. MARINE 


glorious riot of gold and blue, silver and gray, 
merged into twilight, the twilight merged into dark- 
ness and night. Under the glare of the powerful 
headlights the road now lay before them light as 
day, enhancing the deep, purple shadows and cave- 
like darkness on either side of the way. 

For some moments the two girls had been quiet, 
lost in their sad thoughts. Both Marie and Ursula 
were thinking of the journey’s end and of what 
they should find awaiting them, and also they 
thought of Dick on his way to the front and added 
danger. Finally Ursula broke the silence, prosaic- 
ally. 

“ Don’t you suppose we’re going to stop for the 
night, or at least for something to eat? ” she asked. 

“ I’m sure I do not know,” replied Marie. “ I 
never thought to ask before we started, nor did 
Monsieur Sandeau tell me; but surely he cannot 
keep up this pace all night, and he must know we 
want food.” 

In spite of her pain and sorrow her health and 
youth were asserting themselves. 

“ He must be made of iron! I don’t see how in 
the world he remembers the way so perfectly and 
going at this breakneck speed. It is lucky neither 
of us are ‘ frail, young things ’ or there wouldn’t be 
much left to tell the tale,” said Ursula. “ Some of 
the roads he has been taking since dark are simply 
109 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

atrocious, and we’ve been rattling around like two 
dry peas in a pod. As for direction — well, I 
couldn’t tell whether we are going north, east, south 
or west, could you? ” 

“ Not the slightest idea, Ursula,” and with the 
words Marie peered out into the night. “We 
haven’t passed through any villages for I don’t 
know how long, and I haven’t seen a light of any 
sort along the road. I believe it is drizzling 
now.” 

“ From the glare of the headlights on either side 
of the road ahead I can see lots of trees. This must 
be a forest we are passing through. Well, I’m 
hungry, and if I can’t get anything to eat, I’m go- 
ing to sleep,” said Ursula. “ Thank goodness we 
are so well protected from the weather. — My! 
What’s the matter? What’s happened? ” 

The car had suddenly swerved with a sickening 
sweep to the right and was now bumping and jolt- 
ing over what they almost believed were ploughed 
fields, but the driver never moved from his place 
although he materially lessened the speed. Finally 
they caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a large 
house surrounded by trees at a bend ahead of them, 
and then with a grinding of the brakes quickly ap- 
plied, the car came to a sudden stop. 

The next moment the door to the tonneau was 
fiung open and the curtain pushed aside. 

no 


C7. S. MARINE 


“ Come, get out. We have arrived.” 

It was Monsieur Sandeau’s voiee, but harsh and 
peremptory, domineering. 

For a single second there was an embarrassing 
pause, and then the voice of Marie : 

“ Is it for food? Shall we remain here for the 
night? ” 

“ Yes,” and the voice of Monsieur Sandeau was 
even uglier than before. “ Come, hurry along. 
There is no time to be wasted.” 

Surprised beyond measure both girls unwrapped 
the rugs and climbed from their comfortable seat 
unassisted, to find that outside was inky darkness, 
and that the slush and mud were nearly to their 
shoe tops. 

‘‘ Haven’t you a light. Monsieur? It is so dark 
I cannot see where we are going.” Again it was 
JMarie’s voice, as she hesitated before taking a step 
forward. 

“ Mein Gott! ” then in French, “ What do you 
American dolls want anyway? Here, come this 
way,” and taking an arm of either girl in a vise- 
like grip, the man started to lead them away. He 
had not counted on what two American girls might 
be capable of, however, for with a quick wrench 
Ursula had freed herself from his grasp. 

“Don’t you dare to touch me! You — ^you 
beast.” 


Ill 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

For the past few minutes some invisible force had 
been stirring within her, telling her that all was not 
as it should be. This mysterious and silent man who 
had come so opportunely to Marie’s assistance was 
not what he had purported himself to be. They had 
believed in his statements, and in him too readily. 
How or why or from whence the conviction had 
come, Ursula never knew, but with the sudden stop- 
ping of the car and even before the rough, almost 
brutal, manner of his command to get out of the 
machine, she knew that her instinct had told her 
the truth. Next when the two German words 
pounded in her ears there was no room left for 
doubt, and already her mind was trying to see some 
way out of their predicament. At the touch of the 
iron grip on her arm, her very soul revolted. As 
for Marie, already depressed with anxiety, and the 
terrible strain of the day’s ride, she hardly realized 
even yet the exact meaning of events as they were 
transpiring. She was stunned and her tired brain 
refused even to attempt to solve the mystery. It 
was like a dream to her. 

“Ha! So!” It was the cruel voice speaking 
again in the darkness. “ Mademoiselle has some 
spirit. Come then, follow me if you wish no assist- 
ance,” and Ursula heard him going before her, lead- 
ing !Marie docilely away. 

What was she to do? ^Behind her a few steps was 


U, S. MARINE 


the car, its engines dead, its lights turned off. Even 
if she were capable of starting it, where could she 
go? She was lost! And could she go and leave 
Marie? Never! All around her was the silence of 
the forest except for the rain-drops dripping from 
the branches of the bare trees overhead. It was cer-^ 
tain that Sandeau was taking Marie in the direction 
of the house, a glimpse of which they had caught 
before the car stopped. She must follow whether 
she wanted to or not ; yet what could be the meaning- 
of it all? Why? Why? 

Then with a flash of enlightenment a part of the 
enigma was unfolded to her. The telegram that 
Paris had been attacked by the planes and that 
Marie’s mother had been injured was false. It was 
a ruse to lure the girl from the hospital, and uncon- 
sciously, she, Ursula, had been included. It was a 
German plot of some kind. Or was it a plot to 
catch Marie? No, it was to catch herself, and Marie 
had been the bait used. It was in payment for the 
part her brother had played in the denouement of 
Le Cercle Patriotique Franpais, With what devil- 
ish ingenuity the whole thing had been planned. It 
was quite plain to her now. She never doubted for 
a single moment that her solution was the correct 
and only one. Well, they would find a stalwart 
“ Defender of the Faith ” in Dick Comstock’s sis- 
ter, and no longer hesitating she stumbled on ia 

113 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

the direction the man Sandeau and Marie had 
taken. 

As she nearly overtook them she heard other foot- 
steps, and voices of several men. Sandeau was giv- 
ing orders to them in German: 

“ All right, bring in their luggage, and then get 
out with the car as fast as it will take you. Leave 

it in ” but she failed to hear the word which 

followed. ‘‘Ja!ja! Hurry! IVe only missed him 
by an hour, and no trace of the machine must be 
found within miles of here. Go ! ” 

Now came the sound of a door opening, and be- 
fore them was a large hallway dimly lighted. At 
the threshold, Sandeau turned, his hand still grasp- 
ing Marie’s arm as she walked beside him as though 
in a trance. 

“ So, my young spitfire,” he said, addressing 
Ursula in French, “ you have decided to accept our 
hospitality? It is well. You would have found the 
forest but a sorry place to sleep on a winter’s night, 
and snow due to fall before morning. Permit me 
at this time to give you both some excellent advice, 
and I suggest you accept it unless you choose to be 
very uncomfortable. It is this,” and he shook 
Marie’s arm none too gently as if to force home his 
words, “ while you are my guests, observe my rules; 
obey without question, and another thing which you 
may as well know now as to learn it to your mis- 
114 


U. S. MARINE 


fortune later — I let neither man nor woman inter- 
fere with my plans nor my wishes, where the inter- 
ests of the Fatherland are concerned. Come in,’' 
and now he held wide the door waiting for Ursula 
to pass. 

With the closing of the outer door another 
opened into the hallway disclosing a well-lighted, 
comfortable room. A fire of coke was burning in 
an ornamented brazier, and before it stood a table 
upon which was spread linen, china and silverware. 

“ Your repast will be served here at once,” con- 
tinued Sandeau, “ and after that you will be shown 
your sleeping quarters.” Another door into the 
room opened and a large, strong-looking woman in 
the dress of a French peasant entered, bearing a 
tray of steaming food before her. “ Ninon,” and 
he addressed the woman, “ when the demoiselles 
have eaten, take them to their apartment. You will 
be responsible for them, and be sure that you carry 
out the orders I have already given you. Explain 
what you wish to them. I have not the time to 
waste.” 

He turned to leave. ‘‘ And, Ninon, examine 
their baggage immediately, and I warn you to 
search them both for concealed weapons. You have 
not been matron of a jail for nothing; so I judge I 
can give you no advice in the matter.” The door 
clammed and he was gone. 

115 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


With his last words of instruction to the woman, 
Ninon, Ursula’s heart sank within her. In her suit- 
case was resting at that very moment an efficient 
little automatic pistol which Dick had captured at 
Vera Cruz and had presented to her, and she had 
already seen that this weapon might be of great 
use to them in their present trouble. Now, even 
that hope was shattered, and for the first time she 
felt like sitting down on the floor beside Marie and 
weeping with her. 


ii6 


CHAPTER IX 


VON etten’s white elephants 

“ Come this way, please! ” 

It was the woman, Ninon, speaking and her tall 
figure seemed to fill the doorway where she stood, 
addressing Ursula and INIarie. 

In spite of their unenviable plight the two girls 
had eaten of the substantial meal placed before 
them. Eaten every last crumb, for once started 
their youth and health demanded payment for the 
long, tiresome ride. And having eaten they were 
now sleepy. It was well past midnight; they had 
been in the machine over eleven hours. 

With sighs of resignation they arose and passed 
from the room into the hallway. At one end a stair- 
way leading to the upper floors, branching half-way 
up its length to right and left, was lighted dimly, 
but faint as was the illumination the beauty of the 
gallery above with its wrought iron railing of grace- 
ful design, and the exquisite mosaics of the floor 
upon which the girls stood were not to be disguised. 
Evidently the building was one of the many old 
chateaux so prevalent throughout the republic. 

‘‘ Up the stair, ladies ! Please go first, and turn 
to the right at the landing. The first door facing 
117 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

you on reaching the gallery is the entrance to your 
rooms.” 

Meekly the two mounted to the floor above but 
hesitated before the closed door which confronted 
them. 

“ Open the door and enter,” continued the 
monotonous voice of Ninon. 

“ You may open the door yourself,” said Ursula, 
with a touch of returning spirit. “We may be 
prisoners, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we are 
going to obey youf every wish and whim.” 

Without protest the tall woman turned the han- 
dle and the door flew open. 

“ Go in,” she ordered, tensely, “ and don’t be 
foolish.” 

The room was lighted by a Are burning cheerily 
on an enormous hearth. Great logs were piled up 
near the broad chimney, and over its shelf were 
armorial bearings carved in a single block of stone. 

Without further hesitation Ursula entered, 
closely followed by Marie, while Ninon closed the 
heavy oak door behind her and locked it. She now 
moved rapidly and going to the mantel above the 
fireplace lighted a candle with which she went about 
the room lighting others placed conveniently in old- 
fashioned sconces in the walls. In passing the two 
large French windows, opening to the floor, she 
pulled close together the heavy draperies. Next 

ii8 


U. S. MARINE 


she ox)ened a door at one end of the square room, 
disclosing a lavatory in which an old-style, tile-lined 
bath, raised high from the floor, was the chief at- 
traction. Here too she closed the draperies at the 
window and then returning to where the girls were 
standing just inside the door she glanced about her 
as if to make sure that she had attended to all the 
little tasks to be done. 

Although Marie and Ursula had not moved, their 
eyes had not been idle. They found that the room 
was austere and practically bare of other than the 
furniture absolutely essential. An enormous, high 
French bed was at one side of the room, over which 
hung a very ornate canopy. In the center of the 
room was a large, round-topped marble table sug- 
gestive of Italian art, with its profusion of inlaid 
flowers and fruits of various colored stones. The 
floor was a checker pattern of black and white 
marble, but its severity and coldness were relieved 
by heavy, oriental rugs which felt soft under foot. 
A few paintings, probably of value, hung on the 
four walls and a few chairs, a dressing-table, and a 
small stand or two completed the inventory, except 
for the hand luggage which had been brought in 
from the machine and now was lined in an orderly 
row at the foot of the bed. 

Ninon, after approaching the door to the hall, 
stood there for a moment listening intently, then 
119 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

she turned to the two girls and addressed them none 
too gently. 

“ You will give me the keys to your luggage,” 
she demanded, and held out her hand. Having re- 
ceived the keys she placed them in the pocket of 
her dress. “ Now you will both go over by the fire 
and disrobe,” she added. 

A flash of revolt immediately appeared in the 
two pairs of blue eyes fastened upon her, and she 
added with emphasis : “ Obey, please ! I have to but 
call the guard outside for assistance in case you 
refuse. That would be unpleasant. As Mein Herr 
told you — obedience in this house is a virtue. 
Things can be made pleasant or not as you choose.” 

“ This is an outrage,” flamed Ursula. “ I shan’t 
do it.” 

“ Nor will I,” added Marie, her eyes reflecting 
the fire that flashed from those of her friend. 

“ As you will, young ladies,” and the stony-faced 
woman began turning the key in the lock. She 
opened the door and disclosed the figure of a man 
standing in the deep opening, nearly at the sill. 

“ Do you need assistance, Ninon? ” It was the 
disagreeable voice of the man Sandeau. 

“ Do I need assistance? ” repeated Ninon, turn- 
ing toward the girls questioningly. 

No,” they both exclaimed, while Ursula added 
in haste: “Close the door, please, at once,” and 
120 



“You Will Give Me the Keys to Your Luggage'' 








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U. S. MARINE 

again the door was shut, and the key turned in its 
lock. 

“ It is better so,” said the woman. Then with a 
surprising alacrity she ran silently across the room, 
and whispered in Ursula’s ear: 

“ As you value your safety and hope of escape, 
obey, obey.” 

The next moment she was back at the door, and 
speaking in her usual tone of voice. 

“ Come now, that is better! Only j^our outer 
clothing is required; place it over the chair there. 
That is well! Now your shoes, please. I will give 
you both slippers and warm robes in case you are 
not provided with them.” 

While speaking, she approached the bags and 
began unstrapping and unlocking them, and then 
with deft fingers began searching through the con- 
tents. 

“ Ah, I see that there is nothing contraband here 

unless, perhaps ” she stopped as her fingers 

rapidly slid between the layers of clothing in 
Ursula’s suitcase. 

Over in front of the glow of the fire, the two girls 
watched her as mice watch a cat who threatens their 
lives or liberty. Ursula’s heart was in her mouth 
as she watched the searcher. She could not under- 
stand the meaning of the words which Ninon had 
whispered, yet they rang clearly in her ears even 
121 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


now — “ As you value your safety and hope of es- 
cape, obey ! ” Was the woman really sincere? Was 
she acting as a friend or had she spoken thus merely 
in order to deceive them, and to make her own task 
easier? Had she a feeling of pity, and was this a 
hint that worse things would happen to them if they 
continued obstinate; or was it really true that she 
could and would help them to escape? 

No; it could not be that, for here she was, about 
to take away their only weapon of defense, the little 
automatic. With that in their possession they 
would at least have some means of protection or if 
not protection, and worse came to worst, they could 
use it for another purpose. Ursula shuddered to 
think of that, but as both she and Marie had been 
in Belgium during that first rush of the Germans 
into the little kingdom, she knew what horrible 
things had been done there by these descendants of 
the Goths and Visigoths. 

Ninon still fumbled in the bottom of the bag. 
Her back was turned to the fireplace. The door 
was locked. They were alone. Ursula was st^ng.' 
She had not been brought up with her brother Dick 
to escape without many a friendly wrestling match. 
Her lithe body, showing not a muscle in its smooth 
contours, was nevertheless like well-tempered steel. 
Swimming, boating, riding, outdoor sports of all 
kinds, even boxing, were all familiar allies. Per- 
122 


U. S. MARINE 


haps she could overpower this woman kneeling be- 
fore the luggage. It was but a step or two, and in 
her stockinged feet she would be able to approach 
without a sound ; with the quickness of a cat. 

It was too late. 

Ninon's hands already grasped the pistol and 
hauled it out into the light. Then in her deliberate, 
cool tone she finished her uncompleted sentence: 

“ Unless, perhaps, these scissors are to be con- 
sidered contraband. However, I believe they are 
so small that they are harmless." 

Ursula's eyes were starting from her head, and 
Marie stood rigid, in the position so characteristic 
of her, both hands crossed over her breast as if to 
still the beating of her heart. 

“ Yes," continued the voice, “ you may keep the 
scissors," and Ninon deliberately replaced the pis- 
tol under the clothing and shut the bag, but she 
turned the tiny key in its lock, before rising. 

“ Now, if you care to put on these robes and your 
slippers, I will take your other clothing for clean- 
ing and drying." The next instant she had gath- 
ered the damp garments up in her capacious arms 
and left the room, again turning the key in the 
lock behind her. 

Hardly had the door closed before Ursula was 
listening with her ear close to the keyhole. 

“ Did you find anything? " 

123 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

It was the voice of Sandeau, cold and cutting. 

“ You must know, sir; you were listening,” an- 
swered the voice of Ninon. 

“ Never mind what I know, answer me! ” 

“ Nothing which I could not permit them to have 
for their comfort,” answered Ninon, and the double 
meaning escaped her questioner. 

“It is well. Remember they are not to leave 
that room for any purpose. If anyone should in- 
quire about them, if by chance they should be seen 
by inquisitive strangers, you can tell them they are 
the daughters of Count Marin who have just re- 
turned. Everyone about here knows he kept his 
two lunatic daughters confined in that room for 
many years, and that they have returned will sur- 
prise no one.” 

“ Yes, sir; and may I ask you what your inten- 
tions are toward these two young women — these 
girls? ” 

The matron’s voice had a cutting quality of its 
own as she put the question. 

“ None of your business,” answered the man, 
angrily. 

“ Pardon, Colonel von Etten, but I’m making it 
my business.” 

“ Silence! How often must I caution you not to 
use that name? ” 

“ I am so used to it that it comes naturally to my 
124 


U. S. MARINE 


lips,” replied the woman, “ but still, you have not 
answered me, and I tell you again, it is my busi- 
ness. You cannot harm me with your threats. I 
am too valuable to you and know too much now for 
you to put me aside. So, if you have anything to 
say regarding these two latest victims, tell me.” 

“ I’ll tell you nothing,” and now von Etten’s 
voice rang with anger. “ So you think I cannot get 
along without your assistance — that you Imow too 
much ” 

“ One moment, Herr Colonel. I am working for 
the Fatherland, yes. I will, if necessary, commit 
almost any act to help my country, but I will not 
be a party to harming innocent young girls or help- 
ing you to do so by standing mutely by. Unless I 
know these young women are actually engaged in 
hostilities against us, and that you are not bringing 
them here for your own personal desires, I will 
not ” 

But the furious man did not wait to hear her out. 

“ Silence,” he roared, and then lower but still 
distinctly enough so that not a word escaped the 
trembling Ursula listening on the other side of the 
door, he continued. “ You were not so independent 
a few weeks ago, Frau Schumann, when you came 
to me starving and pleading for employment. The 
iron was in your soul then. Your husband’s death 
was still fresh in your mind, if I recall correctly 
125 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


our conversation, and you were willing and eager 
to take up the work which he left unfinished. What 
if I tell you that one of those ‘ innocent young 
things,’ as you seem to think of them, was more or 
less responsible for your husband’s failure and his 
subsequent murder — for that is what it amounted 
to. Also that the brother of that tall vixen is the 
man who actually did the killing? What have you 
to say to that? ” 

Outside in the hallway, there was the sound of a 
smothered cry, and the woman called Ninon sank 
to the floor with her face buried in the clothing she 
held in her arms, while her shoulders shook with 
emotion. 

For a while Colonel Gottlieb von Etten gazed at 
her with a cruel smile playing about the corners of 
his lips, then he said: 

“ Ask no more questions, but do your duty as I 
require it. As yet I am at a loss myself what to do 
with them. I arranged to bring them here in a 
spirit of revenge, but my primary hope was to catch 
through them this man, who has made us so much 
trouble, in the same net. F ate decreed it otherwise 
and now they are as white elephants on my hands. 
I cannot let them go nor do I wish to keep them. 
On the other hand I may still be able to use them as 
a lure to catch the man in question. Perhaps you 
can solve the problem. Think it over and let me 
126 


U. S. MARINE 


kno^v in the morning what you may plan out. My 
work here is about finished, but if there is a hope of 
getting this Lieutenant Comstock in my hands, I’m 
willing to wait, and in the meantime finish up some 
important work which I can do here in this quiet 
spot as well if not better than in Germany.” With 
this he turned on his heel and descended the broad 
staircase. A moment later the slamming of a door 
below stairs announced the fact that he had gone 
outside. 

With the slamming of the door, Ninon raised her 
head and looked about her. Her eyes were dry of 
tears, and a strange smile hovered about her lips. 
For a moment, in the subdued light, there was a 
trace of a former beauty on her face. Then she 
arose and taking the garments to the kitchen, she 
was soon after standing once more outside the door 
behind which Ursula and Marie were sitting close 
together and talking in excited whispers. 

Ursula had heard nearly every word uttered in 
the hall, and with the departure of von Etten and 
Ninon she went quickly to Marie and related the 
whole occurrence. 

“ It appears certain,” she concluded, “ that your 
mother was not injured, so we have not that to 
worry us. Dick has told me of this man, von Etten, 
though to his knowledge he has never seen him. It 
was he, together with Otto Schumann, who caused 
127 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


Dick all that fearful trouble in Mexico, but even- 
tually he escaped from the bandits who were slowly 
but surely killing him by their inhuman treatment, 
induced by these two men. Later, while in San 
Domingo, Dick had a hand-to-hand fight with Otto 
Schumann, and though he did not know it until 
afterward, he did kill him by a blow on the jaw. 
This Otto was a brother of Hans Schumann, and 
IVe told you how Dick and I overheard Otto i)lot- 
ting in Washington several years ago and how Dick 
frustrated those plans while campaigning in 
Nicaragua. Naturally all this has aroused the 
emnity of the secret service agents of the Boche.” 

“ And don’t you believe the part Dick played in 
breaking up the French Patriotic Club in St. Na- 
zaire added to that feeling? ” asked Marie, breath- 
lessly. 

“ Probably so, and perhaps this Colonel von 
Etten was a shining light in that organization. 
Well, anyway, he wanted revenge on Dick, and not 
being able to reach him in any other way took this 
means. You were the decoy, and he hoped of 
course if I went along, as would be natural, that 
Dick too would insist on accompamdng us. He 
said as much out there just now. Dick surely 
would have come if it had not been for the orders 
for the regiment to move to the tr^nining area.” 

‘‘ Oh, how thankful we should be that the orders 
128 


[7. S. MARINE 


came. Something dreadful might have happened 
to Dick if he had come with us. Now I don’t care 
much what happens. It’s exciting, but before I was 
sure that Mother was not injured, it was an entirely 
different matter. What do you suppose will really 
be done with us? ” 

Ursula, who had some things in her mind she did 
not wish to even hint at to Marie, waited a moment 
before answering. 

“ Well, the mere fact of his saying we are ‘ white 
elephants ’ indicates we are now unwelcome. I’m 
sure Ninon, or Frau Schumann, was at first kindly 
disposed toward us before von Etten disclosed to 
her Dick’s connection with her husband’s death, and 
of course he did not tell the truth about that, but 
implied that Dick had actually murdered Schu- 
mann. You know she deliberately put that pistol 
back, and she was speaking all the time for the bene- 
fit of the man outside the door, who was listening. 

“ Oh, Ursula! Quick, get that pistol, now; be- 
fore she thinks of it and returns to take it from us.” 

In an instant Ursula was bending over the bag 
and undoing the straps, but as her fingers pressed 
on the lock, the door to the hall opened and closed 
behind the tall figure of Frau Schumann. 

“ You forget, miss, the bag is locked,” and with 
the sound of her voice Ursula’s hopes were again 
dashed into despondency. 

129 


CHAPTER X 

THE “ RED MEN ” GO INTO BILLETS 

Ea^en the discomforts of crowded cattle-cars 
could not dampen the ardor of the happy Marines. 
Their brisk march to the station, the pleasure of 
being once more united as a battalion, the excited 
talk that went the rounds, the country through 
which they passed, the stops for hot coffee which 
warmed their blood after the chilling inactivity be- 
tween stations — all these things helped pass the 
hours away. 

When they had first arrived in St. Nazaire they 
had believed that nothing could be so wonderful as 
to get aboard the troop trains and steam away amid 
the vociferous cheers of hundreds of citizens yelling 
their Vive les Americaines/^ but by the time they 
eventually entrained, the inhabitants had become 
accustomed to the sight of armed forces from across 
the sea arriving but to depart for the training areas ; 
consequently only intimate friends of the battalion 
had come to the station to wave V^eir adieus and 
God-speed; but these few they knew to be truly 
their friends and the cheers of the curious multitude 
were never missed. 

During the six months of their stay in the town, 
130 


f7. S, MARINE 


St. Nazaire had changed greatly, and the people 
themselves were happier and more prosperous. As 
one marine expressed it: “ When we came they all 
wore black and hardly had shoes to their feet, but 
look at ’em now, boy, dressed in the best and gayest 
of colors.” 

All that afternoon the train jogged along halt- 
ingly, and then on and on through the night. It 
seemed as though they must have passed through 
every city and town in France. Sometimes they 
waited at way stations where the French Red Cross 
workers were always in attendance to offer the 
weary travellers the welcome coffee, hot and steam- 
ing. 

On this second day the train passed through St. 
Denis on the northern outskirts of Paris, and here 
most of them caught their first glimpse of that 
massive structure of iron which reared its lofty 
crest nine hundred and eighty-five feet above the 
beautiful capital — the Eiffel Tower — dominating 
the city and protecting it during this time of stress 
and strife; for on its platforms high above the city 
streets were the wonderful search-lights and the 
sensitive listening devices which gave warning of 
the approach of furtive fliers who dropped their 
engines of death upon the non-combatants of the 
cit}^ the old men, the widowed womanhood and the 
innocent children. 

131 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ If yer thinkin’ it looks big now, ye should be 
for seein’ of it from the Champy de Mars, as I did 
meself,” said Sergeant Mike Dorian to his friend 
Sergeant Calkins, soon after the train had pulled 
into the station, and the two cronies had met to 
while away the moments with a pipeful of tobacco 
to top off their Cafe Royale. 

“ By the way, Mike, you never did tell me how 
it was you were allowed to take the Paris trip any- 
way. It wasn’t your comp’ny that bought up the 
most of those Liberty Bonds in that drive back in 
St. Nazaire,' and as only the fellows that belonged 
to the winning company were supposed to go, I 
don’t yet see how you worked it.” 

“And, Jim, if yer goin’ to wait until old Mike 
tells ye, ye’ll be a-settin’ here from now till 
doomsday, begorra. I’m for keepin’ that there 
bit of strategy under me hat. However I’ll 
be tellin’ ye this much; if ye ever want to be doin’ 
somethin’ ye can’t do, go ask some pretty giiTl 
loike Miss Ursula or Miss Marie and if they 
can’t tell ye, then I’m thinkin’ it ain’t no use in 
tryin’.” 

“ So that’s where you got your scheme, eh? 
Well, I might have thought of that myself.” 

“ Right ye are, Jim, but it’s lucky I come back 

^ While in St. Nazaire a company of the 5th Regiment, U. S. M. C., 
lx)ught $43,000 worth of Liberty Bonds, and the privilege of visit- 
ing Paris was granted to all members of the company. 

132 


U. S. MARINE 

when I did or I’d be findin’ me bed had walked 
away without me, durin’ me absence.” 

“ So you returned before your leave had expired? 
And when did you get back? I didn’t hear of your 
going till day before yesterday.” 

“ Oh, I got back yesterday mornin’ and in a way 
it was a most remarrkable coincidence — if I do be 
sayin’ of it meself. Ye see, Jim, I thought I’d loike 
to take a squint at the place, because ye kin never 
tell these days when ye’ll ever get a chanct to do 
things ye’d like to do. So I set about wurrukin’ me 
little game ” 

“ Miss Ursula’s little game, you mean,” said Jim, 
a little sarcastically. 

“ As ye will, Jim, as ye will,” continued Mike, 
not in the least ruffled by his friend’s observation, 
“ and I arrived in the city, safe enough, but the first 
thing I had to do was to keep me wurrd to the two 
young ladies, so I hunted up Miss Marie’s father 
and mother. Ye may not know it, but they both 
Avas in Paree, and though Mr. Faure is a natural- 
ized American citizen, he’s been helpin’ the Frinch 
with his toime, his brains and his money, and I’ll 
judge he’s got his share of all of ’em. But then 
I’m thinkin’ Mr. Dick’s told ye all this here long 
ago. Well, I found them and they was as nice to 
old Mike as if he was a Jiggidier Brindle of the first 
water in his own right. They put me to sleep in a 

133 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

real bed, big enough for the whole arrmy, with 
some of the sweetest smellin’ linen that ever tickled 
yer nostrils, after first fillin’ me poor old stummick 
with a dinner fit for a king, till I had to ask per- 
mission to loosen me belt or bust, and then they 
showed me around the burg in their car till me eyes 
was sore from seein’ such wonderful sights. Well, 
everything would have been nice and rosy if it 
hadn’t happened that they got some koind of orders 
to go somewheres on relief wurruk outside the city 
and they turned me over to some Y-wurruker or a 
Casey-man,' I never did think to look to see which.” 

Mike stopped to puff on his pipe which he had 
neglected for a moment, and after it was drawing 
well he resumed: 

“ Well, that feller stuck closer than them cooties 
they all say we’ll be acquainted with shortly, and 
believe me if they kin be annythin’ worse, then I’m 
sympathizin’ with meself right now, and wishin’ I 
was back in God’s counthry.” 

“ What was the matter with him, Mike? ” 

“ Matter enough! ” said Mike, growlingly, “ but 
I can’t be blamin’ the Faures anny, because they’d 
just met up with him themselves before they was 
leavin’, and I will confess he looked all right when 
yer first lamped the gazaber; but, say, I couldn’t 
anny more see the sights of Paree like a feller reads 

^ A Y. M. C. A. worker or a K. of C. man. 

134 


U. S. MARINE 


and hears about, than I could chuck one of them 
hand grenades over the top of that same Ayefil 
Tower. That feller was strong on cathedrals, and 
picture galleries and cemeteries and tombs fer dead 
men, and he’d ’ave had me jumpin’ into the Seine if 
I hadn’t quit when I did.” 

“ So you got back just in time to catch us going 
out, eh? ” said Jim. “ It was by a narrow margin 
and no mistake, if you only got in by the train yes- 
terday morning.” 

‘‘ Train yer grandmother! I’d be havin’ ye know 
that I came shootin’ down from Rennes in a reg’lar 
jim-dandy Frinch tourin’ car, me boy. I guess I 
was born lucky, Jim. Ye see when the train ar- 
rived at Rennes they dumped us all off, that is all 
who were goin’ on down to St. Nazaire, and as 
there wasn’t no train leavin’ till some time early the 
followin’ mornin’ I started around lookin’ for a 
billet for the night and incidentally, as ye might say, 
a bite to ate — it’s a shame, Jim, them Faures had 
to leave town; — think of the good chow I might 
still be havin’ I ” 

“ Don’t remind me of food, Mike. I had to take 
a hitch in my belt the last time you got on that sub- 
ject; go on with your tale.” 

‘‘ Well, as I was sayin’, I looked around and 
found a caffee, and went in and passed in me order, 
and ’xactly how it happened, I can’t for the loife 

135 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

of me remember, but I got talkin’ to a feller there, 
a little, youngish-oldish lookin’ sort of a man, and 
to make a long story short he was bound for St. 
Nazaire right away and goin’ alone in a big Frinch 
tourin’ car, and well — old INIike come right along 
with him, and here I be.” 

“ How did the two of you get talking, Mike, if 
he was a Frenchman? ” 

“ Bejabbers, and he could talk the King’s En- 
glish better than I can at that,” said Mike, “ and 
here’s another funny thing: I happened to be men- 
tionin’ Mr. Faure’s name and it appears that he’s 
a friend of some kind or other, and didn’t know that 

the Faures had left Paree, and ” 

“ But they came back to Paris before you left 
there, didn’t they? ” asked Calkins, who had heard 
from Tommy about the accident to INIrs. Faure. 

“ Come back to Paree? Why, they couldn’t be 
gettin’ back from where they was goin’ for a month! 
What makes ye look so queer about that? ” 

“ There must be some mistake, Mike, somewhere. 
Yesterday morning, before the orders came for us 
to leave, a man drove up to Base Hospital 101 and 
asked for Miss Marie. He told her his name was 
Sandeau, that he was a friend of her father’s and 
then he brought out a telegram addressed to him, 
sent by Mr. Faure from Paris, saying his wife was 
dangerously injured by a bomb explosion during a 
13b 


U. S, MARINE 


German air raid on the city, and asking him to 
break it to Marie and tell her to come at once. He 
said he was going to Paris in his machine and would 
take her with him if she so desired, as it was quicker 
and really easier travelling. They left St. Nazaire 
— Miss Ursula and Miss Marie together — some few 
minutes before our train pulled out yesterday.” 

Mike scratched his head with the stem of his pipe 
as was his habit when thinking deeply, and after a 
few moments he said : 

“ There’s sumthin’ gone wrong, Jim, as sure as 
little green apples.” 

“ And I’ve thought of another thing,” added Cal- 
kins. “ Yesterday when our train was pulling out 
of the station who should come beating it down 
there but that secret service agent Frank Richards. 
You know^ him, Mike, the one that’s supposed to be 
a newspaper man, but I believe he’s still on the 
same old job — well, he come running along the plat- 
form calling for Dick. He yelled out something 
which nobody could hear on account of the racket, 
and the last I saw of him, was him standing at the 
end of the station with a puzzled look on his face. 
Now what’s he doing in town? He’s not been 
around for weeks. Suppose we ask Dick about it? ” 

“ Suppose we do nothin’ of the kind ! What good 
will it do worryin’ the lad over somethin’ he can’t 
solve anny more’n we kin. If Frank Richards is on 
137 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

the job, as ye seem to think, then I say let the mat- 
ter rest till we hear somethin’ definite. Dick’ll be 
havin’ his troubles fast enough without saddlin’ him 
with anny guesswork. And that makes me think 
that if these here lovin’ mothers and wives and 
sweethearts back in the States would take a tumble 
to themselves and stop writin’ all their petty trou- 
bles to the soldiers fightin’ for them at the front, 
they’d be doin’ more to winnin’ the war than in anny 
other way I know. No man, no matter how good 
his intenshuns, kin fight with his body and soul, and 
every inch of brain and muscle on the race, if his 
moind is taken up with worries of that sort. No, 
Jim, I say let the matter rest. If Miss Ursula and 
Miss Marie’s in trouble they’re the koind of girrls 
that are pretty able to be a-gettin’ out of it without 
anny help, at all, at all, and to worry Mr. Dick with 
it would be the last thing in the wurruld ayther one 
of them would be doin’.” 

Warning cries and signals apprised the two non- 
coms that the journey was about to be resumed. 
The men idling up and down beside the cars were 
soon back in their places, and with more grinding 
and grumbling the long string of coaches and box- 
cars was again on its way. Always trending to 
the south and east, with fewer stops now, they 
passed through a country as yet untouched by war’s 
devastation. There were thick woods, level fields, 
138 


C7. S. MARINE 


rolling uplands ; but over it all was spread a white 
carpet of thick snow, for the winter of 1917-18 was, 
in France as elsewhere, noted for its storms and zero 
weather. 

Finally there came the grinding of brake-shoes 
on the iron wheels, and the word was passed that the 
battalion was to detrain. The little town of Dam- 
blain in the Department of the Vosges had been 
reached. Gladly the travel-stiffened marines 
climbed down from their cheerless two-day-two- 
night domiciles, formed in double rank along the 
snow-covered road, and then, as ringing commands 
of the officers sounded out on the frosty air, there 
came a moment of silence. 

The captains reported to the adjutant, who in 
turn reported to the major, and then: 

“ Squads right, march.” 

The long sturdy lines of men in their greenish, 
winter-field uniforms broke by fours, wheeled to 
the right and went swinging down the road bound 
for the little village of Colombey-les-Choiseul, a few 
kilometers to the southward. 

On arrival at Damblain, an officer of the Six- 
teenth Company, which organization had previously 
arrived from their station in the S. O. S. at Nevers 
where they had been acting as guard for the Medical 
Supply Depot, reported to the battalion com- 
mander, and Dick was detailed to go on ahead with 

139 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


him and intervieAv the town major for the purpose 
of arranging for the battalion’s billeting. 

It was his first duty of this character — billeting 
officer, it is called, and was of course interesting on 
that account alone. Arriving in Colombey, they 
found the French official who is ever present for 
this purpose, and with him went over the houses, 
buildings, barns and other shelters, assigning cer- 
tain squads and sections and individuals as the case 
required, and by the time the marching men had 
arrived they were quickly told off to their stations 
with the least possible delay. 

As Dick stepped into one little cottage during 
his tour of the village, he noted that the old peasant 
woman who occupied it followed him constantly 
with her eyes, and that they held a most wondering 
look in them. 

“ What is it that worries you. Mother?” he finally 
asked the old lady. 

“ Ah, M’sieur,” she replied, “ perhaps you can 
tell me if it is true that these men who recently ar- 
rived here are Americans? I have been told so, but 
I cannot believe it.” 

“ Yes,” answered Dick, “ they are Americans.” 

“ And you, M’sieur, are you too an American? ” 

“ Yes,” came the answer. 

“ Then, if that is so, when I was a little girl the 
teachers told us lies, M’sieur; they always said the 
140 


U. S, MARINE 


Americans Avere of a complexion red, like the tiles 
on our roofs, and that they always wore feathers 
stuck in their long, black hair. Why, you are 
whiter than our oAvn French people,” and with that 
she turned and toddled away shaking her head in 
perplexity over this strange disillusion. 

Probably for the first time since the thirteen 
Colonies won their independence, American troops 
in this great Avar Avere assigned to billets while on 
campaign. The custom had never been sanctioned 
heretofore, and if memory of casus belli is not at 
fault, it was indirectly the billeting of the British 
troops in Boston Avhich might be added to the griev- 
ances which brought on our own Revolutionary 
War. In Europe, hoAvever, the custom was still in 
favor, having survived through the centuries. 
When one thought of billets it is safe to say that the 
preA^ailing visions of the same were centered in the 
heart of some native home, where the most com- 
fortable bed and the best chamber Avere awaiting 
one, and where, on cold and rainy nights, one joined 
the family circle about the blazing fire and there 
told stories of the war to the admiring accompania- 
ment of “ Ohs ” and “ Ahs ” of the older people, the 
adoring gaze of the eldest daughter Avho was ever 
beautiful, and the envious glances of the younger 
fry% Avho stood by, ready to Avait upon one, hand and 
foot. 

141 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


Reality — a cow barn, from which the former ten- 
ant had been recently evicted to make the necessary 
room — a stone-flagged or dirt floor which must be 
scrubbed and washed, swept and disinfected, yet in 
spite of all effort was ever odorous of the kine; a 
bundle of straw obtained from the towm major, and 
stuffed into a big bag for a bed, — this, then, was the 
usual thing in billets, and this was w^hat in most 
cases the tired marines found waiting them after 
their march. 

But what a cleaning, and scrubbing, and dusting, 
and whitewashing followed; until with that adapt- 
ability for which the American ^larine is noted, and 
the desire for cleanliness which is one of his com- 
mandments, even cow-stalls and barns could no 
longer be recognized by their owners, to say noth- 
ing of others less familiar wdth the places occupied. 
Elbow grease, a willing spirit and a United States 
Marine are the enemies to dirt, disease and death, 
from any standpoint you care to look. 

Late that evening, Mike Dorian, sitting on an 
upturned packing case, with a candle burning 
brightly stuck in a bottle at his elbow, was engaged 
in writing a letter, using a board lying across his 
knees for a desk. 

All about him the men were sleeping; the sleep 
of healthy tiredness, and the dim rafters overhead 
echoed to a full chorus of lusty snores. 

142 


U, S, MARINE 


“ Everything all right in here, Dorian? ” ques- 
tioned a voice from the doorway, and then, as Mike 
started to rise while answering his quiet “ Aye, aye, 
sir,” the voice added: “ Don’t get up, Mike.” 

“ So it’s you, Mr. Dick, is it? ” inquired the old 
fellow. “ Indeed and I’m glad it is ye stopped in 
while makin’ yer rounds, sir, for p’raps ye can be 
tellin’ me, sir, how manny F’s there are in the 
wurrd nephew? ” 

“ Two, Mike,” replied Dick, closing the door so 
that his old friend would not notice the laughter 
which was nearly giving him a choking spell. 

“ I thought as much,” said Mike aloud, bending 
over the paper as he wet the stub of a pencil with 
his tongue. “ Well, me nephew will be pleased in- 
deed to hear from me, and that I have found a place 
dirtier than his own hovel in old Ireland, because 
he never did admire these Froggies annyway.” 


143 


CHAPTER XI 


FRANK RICHARDS LOSES THE TRAIL 

“ There’s not one chance in a thousand of ever 
catching up with them, but we’re going to take that 
chance, Mason. I’ve been down to the hospital and 
interviewed everyone there who knows anything at 
all.” 

“ Get any dope? ” 

“ Not much. I’ll confess. The man gave his 
name as Sandeau. Supposed to live here in St. Na- 
zaire, and incidentally, there is a Monsieur Sandeau 
who lives here, and years ago, before the Faures left 
for the United States, they were intimate friends. 
The description of the real Sandeau does not fit the 
man who took away the girls. As for that matter, 
we know it was Gottlieb von Etten, and the descrip- 
tion does fit him. We know too that he drove the 
car here from some place outside of Paris, and came 
down through Rennes and furthermore he brought 
a marine sergeant with him.” 

“Where did you get that information?” asked 
Mason. 

“ One of the gendarmes on duty here saw them 
ride into town, and saw the marine get out. This 

144 


U. S. MARINE 


gendarme knew the car didn’t belong in this city. 
It had a Parisian license number, and for that rea- 
son the incident was remembered.” 

“ Do you believe he has gone back to Paris? ” 

“ Well, they started out in that direction. Of 
course the whole thing was a hoax to get the girls ; 
but I don’t yet understand what von Etten wants of 
them, nor what his idea is in taking them away.” 

At this point in the conversation a mechanic ap- 
proached and spoke to the man called Mason. 

“ Repairs are all made, sir, and the machine is 
ready.” 

“ Good, let us be off at once,” said Richards, and 
a few minutes later the powerful motor-cycle with 
its side car was speeding out of town in chase of 
von Etten’s big automobile. 

It was slow going in many ways because at each 
village inquiries were necessary, and considerable 
time was lost, but altogether they considered them- 
selves quite fortunate. Had von Etten been in less 
haste he might have escaped observation, but he had 
driven with so much speed through every little town 
or village that he had attracted attention. Any- 
thing out of the ordinary these war-time days re- 
ceived more comment than would have been the case 
in the “ piping times of peace,” and it was with ris- 
ing hopes that the two men in chase were able to 
follow with comparative ease. 

145 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

Gottlieb, however, did not have to stop and make 
inquiries along the route, as Richards and his com- 
panion were forced to do in order to be certain of 
their way. It was a losing proposition for them — 
this element of time, and as the day progressed they 
knew it would be their undoing. 

“ He didn’t stick to the direct road to Paris for 
very long, did he? ” questioned Mason, as they went 
chug-chugging out of a little village which boasted 
of perhaps twenty houses, a couple of streets and 
the inevitable village church. “ Do you know, I 
believe he is making for some place to the north of 
the city instead of Paris proper.” 

It was getting dusk and the motor-cycle was pro- 
gressing along a narrow but well-kept road leading 
almost due north. 

“ He’s probably taken all these twists and turns 
to throw us off the track, but even so he has lost but 
little and is edging toward the big city all the 
time,” answered Richards. “ I imagine he is aver- 
aging over thirty miles an hour. It’s now nearly 
six o’clock. At the lowest estimate we have covered 
one hundred and fifty miles, and according to our 
latest informant we are tAvo hours behind him. 
Therefore, at four o’clock this afternoon he was 
here, and at the same rate he is therefore sixty miles 
ahead of us right now, or a total of two hundred and 
ten miles at the least.” 


146 


U: S. MARINE 

“ It’s a blooming shame we had to stop for re- 
pairs,” said Mason; “ if we could have gone right 

out of St. Nazaire we’d have Whoop ! Hold 

on a minute! ” and he stopped his car, descended 
and ran back about twenty yards to a crossroad 
branching off to the right. 

In the slush and snow that covered this road were 
a few wagon-tracks, but sweeping around the cor- 
ner and plainly visible were the marks of a large set 
of auto tires. 

“ Guess that’s he, or I don’t know the stamp of 
his wheels,” ventured Mason. “ He’s turned off 
this road right enough, and it was by the barest 
chance I noticed the x^lace where he skidded or we’d 
have gone on to the next village and had to come 
back in search. I rather think we’ll have to go 
slower from now on.” 

Turning the cycle about they were soon following 
again in the wake of the big car, but this crossroad 
was merely a short trail to another and better high- 
way a few kilometers to the eastward. Here a 
peasant plodding along behind his old horse put 
them right, so they lost no time. 

Night fell, and a heavy rain added to the discom- 
forts of the chase. At one village they succeeded 
in getting a meal, but here, too, they failed of any 
information. Perhaps a car had passed. Several 
had during the day, but no one noticed particularly 

147 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

whether or not a big black machine had driven 
through the town about nightfall. There was noth- 
ing left to do but go on to the next village in the 
hope of getting something more definite there. 
Both men w^ere tired and sore from the long and 
strenuous chase, and as there was no further need of 
hurry, they delayed over their evening repast. 

Well, we’ll go on for a time,” Richards was say- 
ing, “ and then if we get nothing new, I fear we’ll 
have to call it off. I wish I hadn’t been so hasty in 
scribbling that note to Dick Comstock while we 
were waiting for the repairs. It will but add to his 
worry. I fear we have lost them, and the only 
thing left for me to do is to try and get in touch 
with the arch conspirator through some other chan- 
nel. I’ve still a card up my sleeve which may prove 
useful, but the difficulty is that I don’t know just 
how soon I may be able to use it.” 

“ Do you mind telling me, Frank, why it is you 
are after this particular man? I know you are out 
for news, but why here in the back areas, so to 
speak, instead of with our troops at the front? ” 

“ Your patience, since I pulled you out of your 
bunk at the aerodrome yesterday, is certainly due 
some reward, Mason, old boy,” answered Richards. 
‘‘ This man, von Etten, is a German secret service 
agent, and also an officer in the German army; an 
exceedingly clever fellow taken all in all. He has 
148 


U. S. MARINE 


been mixed up in more deals harmful to our Gov- 
ernment than I’ve time to tell you about, but I’ve 
had the good luck to run across him frequently 
within the last few years. In nineteen seventeen he 
came to the States from Mexico for the express pur- 
pose of smuggling some State Department papers 
which von Bernstorff, the German Minister, had 
not been able to take out with him on his departure, 
but which he had, in some way still unknown to us, 
purloined from the authorities in Washington. 
Von Etten succeeded in getting over to St. Nazaire 
with the documents, and it is believed that he still 
has them in his possession. The home government 
has sent me over here to get them back before he 
can decipher them. We know he has not done so 
as yet, because the moment he does they will be 
made public, and publicity would be one of the 
worst things which could happen to us. We would 
lose caste in this war right away. These papers are 
of such a nature that they would be taken for their 
face value, whereas the real key, which cannot or 
would not be disclosed for powerful reasons of state, 
must never be known. I’ll give you a hint. They 
have to do wdth certain matters in the Far East. 
Furthermore, should von Etten discover the cipher 
and the other key, his fortune is made. He knows 
the nature of the documents and for that reason he 
does not want to surrender them to anyone else now 
149 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

they are in his possession, and he must be endeavor- 
ing to solve them.” 

“ And you hope to get these papers? ” 

“ That is why I am here. I must get them, 
though, before he can work any mischief with them. 
You know that any code is capable of translation, 
so the sooner I get them the safer it will be.” 

“ Well, why don’t you have the man arrested? ” 

“ That is the trouble. Mason; to arrest von Etten 
before I know where he keeps the papers, or I can 
be sure of getting them, would be folly. I must get 
him with the goods, and he has led me a merry chase. 
Fortunately, the very day I reached St. Nazaire I 
ran across a clue which helped me get in touch with 
him, but now he knows I’m after him again and the 
task is going to be more difficult. I’m firmly con- 
vinced he intends leaving France if he can arrange 
it, and that is why I am so anxious, — that and the 

fact he has now taken the two girls ” 

‘‘ Why has he mixed them up in this business? I 
should think he would have enough on his hands 
without monkeying with two women.” 

“ I can’t answer that question,” Richards replied. 
“ My only deduction is that he wants to use them 
in some way to further his ends. He is as foxy as 
they make them, and whatever is back of this move, 
it’s something deep. Yet, on the other hand, it may 
be a spirit of revenge on his part — revenge against 
150 


U, S. MARINE 


Dick Comstock. Even the cleverest of men make 
mistakes at times and are carried away by some 
foolish notion. All clever criminals have that fail- 
ing, and that is why they are eventually caught. 
Carried away by some fool idea which they act upon 
in a moment of carelessness. These girls may in 
the end prove to be his undoing.’’ 

“ What do you propose doing if we get no further 
information at the next village along the road? ” 
asked Mason, looking at his wrist-watch. 

“ In that case, we’ll turn in for the night, take an- 
other scout around this vicinity in the morning, and 
then if nothing results, go back to Paris and wait.” 

No further news of von Etten and his car turned 
up at the next village, so the programme as outlined 
by Richards was begun. They secured a comfort- 
able room, and after a freezing cold bath, they sat 
before a little fire in their quarters and smoked 
before retiring, while they studied the large 
map of the region in which they now found them- 
selves. 

“We sure have been eating up the miles,” re- 
marked Mason, as Richards placed his pencil-point 
on the little village that sheltered them for the night. 

“Yes, but I don’t believe he has stopped going 
yet,” answered the other. “ In fact, as I look at 
the map, I’ve a very good idea that by the time he 
does stop for the night he’ll be nearer your fly- 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

ing-field than you have been since we started from 
there a couple of days ago.’’ 

“ And what makes you think that? ” inquired 
Mason. 

“ Because it was near there we picked him up ac- 
cording to the word I had received, and I believe he 
is going back there, and that he has his hiding-place 
in that vicinity. For that reason I suggest that we 
waste no more time around here. You will go back 
to camp and I’ll go on to Paris in the hope of re- 
ceiving some news soon that will help me.” 

“ Just as you say, Frank; my time is my own for 
a few days, so if I can be of any further help don’t 
fail to ask it of me. Of course I’m mightily inter- 
ested in all that you have told me so far, and if you 
feel free to give me any further details, I’d be glad 
to listen. I’m tired, but I’m not sleepy, so I’ll be a 
good listener. And you know that I’m not one of 
the kind to go about blabbing everything I know. 
Your story will be safe in my keeping.” 

Richards was thoughtfully silent for a moment or 
two, and then he began speaking: 

‘'As I told you, on the very day I arrived in St. 
Nazaire I ran across a clue which put me right 
on the track of the man I had crossed the Atlantic 
to discover. It appears that Dick Comstock was 
stationed in the old convict town and naturally I 
looked him up at once. He was giving a dinner 
152 


U. S. MARINE 


party to his sister that night, in the rooms formerly 
occupied by a gang of these German and Austrian 
spies. It was then a French Red Cross cafe; I 
mean when I arrived, it was used as such. It seems 
that Dick helped to break up the activities of this 
gang, and I suppose they had it in for him. Well, 
to go on, that night, behind a secret panel which we 
discovered by accident during the dinner party, I 
found a slip of paper with von Etten’s name on it 
and from that it was easy work for me to go ahead. 
A ghost story told by Dick’s sister led me to believe 
that there might be some other clues to be found in 
the old place and I was right. I came across a very 
important one, the name and address of a woman, 
Ninon Schumann, the widow of another secret serv- 
ice man of the Kaiser’s with whom I had had deal- 
ings before his death. Incidentally he was killed in 
a hand-to-hand fight with Miss Comstock’s brother 
down in San Domingo, when Dick was a sergeant 
of Marines.” 

“ So this young fellow, Comstock, came up from 
the ranks? ” 

“ Yes. Entered the corps for that purpose, and 
as luck would have it, served longer than many 
others, and did more than most of them who were 
appointed ahead of him and received their commis- 
sions. He earned his a dozen times before he actu- 
ally got it.” 


153 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ A pretty good sort? ’’ continued Mason. 

“ The best ever,” answered Richards, warmly. 
“ Straight as a die in every respect, and no molly- 
coddle, I can tell you that. Heart on him or in him 
as big as a mountain, but when duty is the watch- 
word nothing could swerve him from the path for a 
single instant.” 

“ I just inquired in order to make sure it wasn’t 
entirely on the sister’s account that you think so 
much of him,” added Mason, with a twinkle in his 
eyes, which quickly changed to caution as Richards 
made a pass for his head with a right hand that 
would have landed heavily if it had connected. 
‘‘ Take it all back, old top ! Go on with your tale.” 

“ Forgiven ! ” said Frank, again tilting back his 
chair. “ Well, when I arrived in Paris I found 
Frau Schumann posing as a Frenchwoman. As a 
matter of fact, she is an Alsatian. Many years ago, 
and much against her parents’ wishes — her father 
fought in the last war against Germany- — she ran 
away and married Otto Schumann. She saw her 
mistake at once, but being Roman Catholics, divorce 
was out of the question, so she endeavored to make 
the best of a bad bargain. Schumann at the time 
of her marriage was an officer in the German army, 
but through his gambling he lost deeply and was 
finally forced to resign. He had a brother, Hans, 
who was in the secret service of the F atherland, and 
154 


t7. S. MARINE 

this brother secured him employment at the same 
sort of work.” 

“ Say, Frank, how in the world do you know so 
blooming much about all this sort of stuff? ” asked 
IMason, in some amazement. 

“ That is something I’m not allowed to tell you, 
old chap, but you must know that being a foreign 
correspondent for a metropolitan newspaper often 
brings one in contact with strange bedfellows, as it 
were. Then when I tell you that on going to Paris 
I sought and found Frau Schumann, you will get 
an inkling as to how I know so much. You see, it’s 
not so mysterious after all.” 

“ Of course that helps to explain a little,” said 
Mason. 

“ When I discovered the woman,” continued 
Frank, “ she was recovering from a severe illness 
contracted during her labors in a French ammuni- 
tion plant. She was quite destitute. Sickness and 
disappointment had left its imprint upon her. 
Some 3 ^ears ago her husband had secured employ- 
ment for her in a jail or some institution, as matron, 
but at the outbreak of hostilities she fled from Al- 
sace over the border into France. Since then she 
has done her bit for the cause of her real homeland. 
The unaccustomed work, after three years of it, 
undermined her health completely. One day re- 
cently she saw Colonel von Etten on the streets and 
iSS 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


recognized him as being a brother officer of her hus- 
band. She spoke to him and he in turn recognized 
her. He told her of her husband’s death. It was 
her first news of it. I doubt if it affected her other 
than coming as a relief after all these years, but in 
her condition she appeared to break down, and Gott- 
lieb, misinterpreting her state of mind, offered her 
aid, which she refused. 

“She was at a loss as to what to do in the matter 
of his presence in Paris. Finally she decided to 
keep her own counsel, but that night she began 
thinking the matter over more seriously and the next 
day she went to see him, not quite sure just what 
she intended to say to him, but determined to find 
out if she could what he was up to in his enemy’s 
country. Again he ofiPered her employment pro- 
viding she would act as a spy within the lines. This 
she refused, but gave no reason for her refusal. She 
also feared to report him, as the authorities might 
imprison her. She returned to her home with her 
mind still in chaos. 

“ That very afternoon I found her and, to make a 
long story short, she is now a French secret service 
agent, but also she is in von Etten’s employ in the 
guise of a German agent.” 

“ I should say that she had a hard role,” volun- 
teered Mason, who had listened attentively to 
Frank’s long and interesting tale. “ But I should 
156 


U. S. MARINE 


have thought you might have had von Etten ar- 
rested long ago.” 

“ Yes, his arrest would have been easy, but to 
arrest him before I am certain — absolutely certain 
— where the papers are might end in my losing them 
altogether. Don’t you see? ” 

“ That’s true,” acknowledged Mason. “ I keep 
forgetting that side of the question. It’s the papers 
you want, even more than the man.” 

“ Right- 0 ! And now a few words more and then 
to bed. Frau Schumann recently left Paris with 
von Etten. It was a sudden move and she was un- 
able to communicate with me as to their destination. 
The day before I came to see you I received a mes- 
sage from her. It was enigmatical. In it she told 
me to be at a certain road near your camp at a cer- 
tain hour and to follow a big black touring car with 
a Paris license number 303303. Von Etten would 
probably be driving the car. She did not know 
what he was up to, but did know something impor- 
tant was on foot. In her haste she failed to tell me 
anything more definite. The note was left at my 
hotel by a French soldier and sent to my rooms.” 

‘‘ Well, Frank, I believe as you do, that the next 
best bet, seeing we have lost the trail, is for you to 
return to Paris at once and wait for further word 
from Mrs. Schumann.” 

“ I believe so myself, and therefore I’ll have to 

157 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


postpone for a time that flight over Paris with you 
which you promised me. Perhaps by the time we 
can arrange it you will be back in shape again and 
doing your regular flying with the Escadrille La- 
fayette, who knows? ” 

“ Well, if that is the case, Frank, I’ll not be 
around here, so you will have lost the opportunity. 
But now I believe I can tear off several yards of 
good sound sleep, and will need no rocking,” 


158 


CHAPTER XII 


THE CHATEAU IN THE WOODS 

Once outside the house Gottlieb von Etten 
walked along the broad front of the chateau and 
turning at the corner he proceeded to make his way 
toward a good-sized building about two hundred 
yards distant, from the upper windows of which a 
bright light was streaming. This building was the 
garage and living quarters for the men servants of 
Count Marin’s entourage, and was still being util- 
ized for the same purpose by the present tenant. 
On entering the building Gottlieb mounted to the 
second floor and entered a large room in which a 
number of beds lined the walls. At a table in the 
center of the room two men, one dressed as a chauf- 
feur and the other in the smock and wooden shoes 
of the working class, were plajdng a game of piquet. 

The players arose on Gottlieb’s entrance and 
after he had seated himself at the table he motioned 
for them to resume their places. 

“ Has everything gone well during my absence? ” 
he inquired. 

“ Yes, sir,” answered the man dressed as a chauf- 
feur. “ One or two of the old inhabitants have 

159 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


evinced some curiosity, but they have been told that 
Count Marin, since his return, is a broken and dis- 
appointed man. That in all probability he will 
bring his daughters back here to live. The hope 
Avhich he had entertained that they could Anally be 
restored to normal health, and which led him to take 
them away for treatment some years ago, has been 
shattered. That it has been a fearful blow to him ; 
that he now denies himself to everyone, even his old- 
est friends, and has gone so far as to discharge all 
the old servants.” 

“ Did everyone who came go away believing v/hat 
was told them? ” 

“ I am certain of it, sir. The war is what occu- 
pies the minds of most ever^^one these days and 
other happenings are worth but a moment’s notice. 
In times of peace there might be some doubts forth- 
coming — some questioning, but now every family 
has its own troubles to cope with.” 

“ Have you carried out my orders about a guard 
and patrols? ” 

“ I have, sir. At night two watchmen are con- 
stantly on duty near the chateau. One continually 
patrols around the building close to the walls. The 
other is at a greater distance but always in sight. 
There are four men by day, and four by night, on 
different parts of the estate. No one can approach 
along the road leading past the chateau without be- 
160 


U. S. MARINE 


ing seen, and by means of a concealed telephone 
system we are notified here in this room. This old 
place is so far back in the forest that it is seldom 
visited. Even when Count Marin lived here he 
had but few friends come to visit him. He was 
never popular with the majority of his neighbors. 
As you know, he was a Royalist, and it was his oft- 
repeated boast that some day France would again 
become a monarchy — that a king would again wield 
the sceptre of authority from his throne in Paris, 
and again the nobility would have the upper hand.” 

“Humph!” and von Etten’s exclamation was 
followed by a hard, short laugh. “ He was right; a 
Prussian King will wield that sceptre, however, and 
little good will it benefit any F rench Royalist. This 
summer will see our grand entry into their beloved 
city. The Kaiser has said as much. Soon the 
spring drives will begin. The preparations are 
nearly complete, and then the nations of the world 
will have to acknowledge themselves outdone — de- 
feated by our superior power of mind and matter. 
Has anything arrived here for me? ” 

“ Yes; this morning a packet of letters was de- 
livered, and, according to your instructions, I 
handed them over to the housekeeper, Frau Schu- 
mann.” 

“My instructions?” questioned von Etten in 
surprise. “When did I give you such orders?” 

i6i 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

and he glared at the man as if doubting his own 
ears. 

“ Shortly after the messenger arrived, Frau 
Schumann came to me and said she was to keei) 
anything that came for you in the house against 
your reti^m, so I delivered the packet to her. You 
will remember you told me she was to have full 
charge in your absence.” 

“ Full charge in the chateau, you fool, but not 
full charge over you. You should have known 
that,” roared von Etten. 

“ I only observed your instructions this time as 
always, sir. You are forever finding fault with my 
work when I act as I believe you meant for me to 
act, so this time I decided not to depend upon my 
own interpretation of your words.” 

“And, of course, made a mess of it again,” added 
Gottlieb. “ What has become of the letters? Frau 
Schumann told me nothing of them. I must attend 
to the matter at once. Who brought them? ” 

“ Lieutenant Kappan, sir. He has recently been 
made an ace in our service and he is acknowledged 
to be one of our best fliers. He has been assigned 
to this duty. He said he came direct from Head- 
quarters in Berlin. He has been trying to get here 
for several days, but was not able to make the land- 
ing on account of the weather. The heavy snow- 
storm made it difficult for him to locate the field in 
162 


[7. S. MARINE 


the woods where Count Marin race/^ his horses, and 
he says that daylight trips are too aangerous. He 
asks that you arrange to have the place lighted by 
night. He can easily make the landing if he has a 
few lights to guide him. His machine is camou- 
flaged with the cockade of the Frenchman, and he 
himself was in the uniform of a French pilot. He 
was disappointed not to have seen you, but said he 
could not wait until nightfall. The conditions for 
getting out of the field without discovery were too 
good to chance a delay.” 

Somewhat mollified by the news, von Etten arose. 

“ I will see you in the morning,” he said, and 
went from the room. 

While this conversation was taking place in the 
men’s sleeping quarters over the garage, Ursula 
Comstock, kneeling before her suitcase, listened 
with sinking heart to the words spoken by the 
woman Ninon. 

Although Ursula had no definite idea as to what 
use the pistol might be toward their ultimate es- 
cape, she nevertheless knew that the knowledge of 
its possession by herself would be a source of com- 
fort at least. Now the words of Ninon came as a 
final straw, and in spite of herself, and because of 
all she had been through this day, she sat down on 
the soft rug and, resting her head on the footboard 
of the bed, began to weep silently. 

163 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

Imagine her surprise when, on feeling two arms 
thrown about her protectingly, she looked up ex- 
pecting to see Marie’s sympathetic face close to her 
own; instead she was gazing into the eyes of Frau 
Schumann, and this time there was no mistaking the 
look of sympathy that shone from them. 

“ Do not weep, Mademoiselle,” and Ninon was 
speaking French, her voice as soft as though stilling 
the fears of a babe in arms ; “ all will go well. Dry 
your tears and come — you, too,” and she nodded to 
IMarie, ‘‘ while I tell you how we can yet get even 
with this German wolf.” 

“ Then you aren’t an enemy — a German? ” ques- 
tioned Marie, excitedly. 

“ Perhaps I might be called one by birth, though 
I do not claim such to be true, for even though I 
was born in Alsace after the war of 1870, I claim 
the soil is now and always was French. Further- 
more, my parents were born French, but I married 
a German, and that, I suppose, makes me one as far 
as laws go, but not in my heart. His name 
was ” 

“We know, Frau Schumann. I overheard what 
was said outside in the hallway,” said Ursula, dry- 
ing the last of her tears. 

“ Then if you overheard, I will not repeat, but 
there are some things you do not know. From the 
day of my marriage my life has been unhappy and 
164 


U. S. MARINE 


at times almost unbearable. But we need not go 
into that, however; I want you to think of me as a 
Frenchwoman, body, heart and soul, and for this 
reason will you please call me Ninon, so that I may 
not be reminded of the German part of my name? 
For years now I have been known to m}^ friends as 
Ninon Rougemont — my maiden name.” 

When both girls had assured the speaker that 
they would accede to her request, she continued: 

“ I will not attempt to explain everything to you 
at this time, but be sure to remember this always — 
that even what I have told you so far, and what you 
have overheard, if known to Gottlieb von Etten, 
would be dangerous to us all. He must never be 
aware that you have the slightest knowledge of 
these things. For that reason you must constantly 
be on your guard. You will have a difficult part to 
play, but be careful not to overdo it. You are 
Americans, and I believe you are capable of han- 
dling the situation. I must leave you now, for he 
will return soon and will wish to see me. In ex- 
amining your luggage, I noticed you have with you 
a portfolio. If you wish to write a note to two of 
your friends or relatives assuring them you are not 
in danger, so as to set their minds at ease, I will try 
and get them delivered sooner or later. As to the 
chance of escape — it may not come for days, pos- 
sibly for weeks ; but more of this to-morrow. 

165 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


Hush ” And rising quickly, Ninon went to 

the door and listened, then half opening it she began 
to back from the room, and in doing so threw a key 
toward Ursula, the key to the girl’s suitcase. 
Then they heard her voice ; the old monotonous tone 
had returned, cold, slow, forceful: 

“ I would advise you to retire, ladies. Sitting by 
the fire and weeping like children will bring you 
nothing. Also I wish to advise you against show- 
ing yourselves at the windows during the day. Re- 
member what I have told you about Count Marin’s 
daughters. Any attempt on your part to attract 
persons on the outside would but reaffirm their 
opinion that you are both imbeciles, and it would 
do neither of you the slightest bit of good.” 

The door closed and she was gone. 

On turning from the door to walk along the gal- 
lery Ninon felt a heavy hand placed upon her arm. 
It was Gottlieb. 

“ You startled me! ” exclaimed the woman, with 
an assumed expression of surprise, for she had 
heard him coming up the stairs before she left the 
room. “ What is it you want? ” 

“ Come with me below to the library,” said Gott- 
lieb shortly, and together they descended. “Sit 
down,” he commanded on arriving in the room, the 
four walls of which were lined with shelves of 
books, beautifully bound in leather, and which 
1 66 


U. S. MARINE 

bespoke the studious nature of Count Marin or his 
forbears. 

When she had complied, Gottlieb seated himself 
at the large flat-topped table-desk near the center of 
the room and said: 

‘‘ Now, perhaps you will tell me why you went so 
far as to take from Rudolph the papers which were 
delivered into his custody this morning? ” 

“And was that not your intention — that I should 
take charge of matters of that kind? ” she ques- 
tioned in feigned innocence. 

“ I said nothing about taking charge of any pa- 
pers left with other persons for me, nor did I mean 
that you had any jurisdiction outside of the chateau 
itself.” 

“ Then I fear I am in error,” said Ninon quietly. 
“ I saw the officer deliver the packet to Rudolph, 
almost on the threshold, so to speak, and naturally 
I went to him and said I would keep them for you, 
as I had heard him state they were for you. The 
man was in the uniform of a French aviator, and I 
knew you would not wish to have valuable papers 
carelessly handled.” 

Von Etten gazed at Ninon searchingly, and she 
bravely endured the cold, questioning stare. 

“ Where are they? ” 

“ In the top drawer before you.” 

The man opened the drawer and drew out the 
167 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


bundle. He examined the fastenings and the seal. 
Everything appeared to be intact. There was no 
evidence that they had been tampered with. 

“ You may go,” he said, and the woman left the 
room. He followed to the door, and as she went 
along the broad h^ll she turned to him. 

“ Good-night, Mein Herr. It is late. I must 
get some sleep or my household duties will suffer in 
the morning.” 

“ Good-night, Frau Schumann,” came the gruff 
reply, and he closed and bolted the door. Return- 
ing to the desk he broke the seal without again 
glancing at it, and spread the contents of the pack- 
age over the desk. Then seating himself he began 
going over his mail. That the news contained 
therein was displeasing was evidenced by the many 
mutterings and black looks with which the man read 
and reread the lengthy e^^istles before him. 

Once he could have been heard to mutter audibly : 

“ So von Bernstorff wants the papers, eh? Well, 
he won’t get them.” 

Finally he rose from his place, and going to a cer- 
tain one of the book-shelves, he removed a couple of 
the large leather-bound volumes and from behind 
them brought forth more papers. These he took to 
his desk and for the rest of the night he sat there, 
working with pencil and paper, writing and erasing, 
engrossed in deep study. 

‘ i68 


U. S. MARINE 


‘‘ Shall I ever be able to find the key? ” he mum- 
bled, as the sounds of morning activity in the house 
began to disturb him. “ Sometimes I believe I 
have it, and then suddenly it all falls like a house of 
cards.’’ 

With a sigh of weariness and impatience, he gath- 
ered up the papers; destroyed his useless notes by 
throwing them in the embers of the fire. The let- 
ters he had received by the hand of the airman he 
also gathered together and locked in one of the 
drawers of his desk. 

“And I must stay on here now, to receive the re- 
ports of our men in Paris who are to watch the effect 
of the great giin. These pigeons they have sent me 
will cause me trouble if some inquisitive official 
should discover them. I must give Rudolph orders 
to build a cote for them in the deep woods, far from 
the house. Yes, there is much to do to-dajs that, 
and arrange for the lights on the race-course. Oh, 
ho! ” he stretched his arms over his head, and gave 
a prodigious yawn, “a few hours’ sleep, and 
then ” 

There was a knocking at the door. Gottlieb 
picked up the remainder of the papers, and going 
to the book-shelf replaced them in their niche behind 
the books, and then opened the door to admit Frau 
Schumann who had come to put the room in 
order. 

169 


LIEUTENANT COWISTOCK 

The same rising sun that sent von Etten to his 
bed awoke Ursula and Marie. It was too cold to 
leave the comfort of the warm bedclothes and not 
until Ninon arrived and built a fire, that soon was 
roaring up the chimney, did they bestir themselves. 
Ninon in the meantime had thrown back the heavy 
draperies and the welcome sunlight streamed into 
the room through the windows, but upon the heavy 
rugs were thrown the shadows of the iron bars with 
which the casements were provided. 

“Not only are the windows barred, but they can- 
not be opened because, of being nailed fast,” an- 
nounced Ninon. “ Colonel von Etten has retired, 
and I can talk with you now and not fear any 
eavesdropping, but at the same time we must always 
observe due caution in all we do or say. Did you 
write the notes? ” 

For answer, Ursula reached under her pillow and 
brought forth two fat letters, one addressed to her 
brother from herself, and the other written by 
Marie to Mrs. Faure. 

“ Oh, these can never get through! You must 
write short notes only, and you must not tell your 
people where you are, merely assure them of your 
safety and good health. It is best to destroy these 
at once and for you to try again.” 

The girls threw them into the fire without ques- 
tion, for during the night they had agreed between 
170 


U, S. MARINE 


themselves to leave matters entirely in Ninon’s 
hands. They both believed in her implicitly. 

“Tell us how we are to get away, Ninon,” said 
Marie, as she stood before the fire in the comfort of 
the warm glow. 

“ That may not be for long, and as I hinted last 
evening, you may be of more help to your country 
by remaining here as prisoners than by making your 
escape and going back to your former duties. Lis- 
ten, and I will tell you. I am here for the purpose 
of securing some very important secret documents 
which this man von Etten is believed to have in his 
possession. I came here through the instigation of 
an American, a man named Richards ” 

“ What, you don’t mean Frank Richards, an 
American newspaper correspondent, do you? ” 
questioned Ursula in surprise. 

“ Yes; and do you know him? ” 

“ Indeed we do, and very well. He is my broth- 
er’s friend. It is strange how all these things and 
people, coming from different parts of the world, 
seem to be weaving themselves into a common woof 
and warp.” 

“ Frank Richards induced me to accept von Et- 
ten’s offer of employment,” continued Ninon, “with 
the hope of my being able to discover something 
which would lead to the recovery of the papers. 
When I went to von Etten, he told me that he did 
171 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

not then need me, as he had given up the plans in 
which he had desired my assistance. Two days 
later I went to him again and begged him for em- 
ployment. I pleaded with him, and showed him 
my great need, and finally convinced him that with- 
out his aid I would probably starve, as I was unable 
to return to my former employment and that I was 
destitute. All of these facts really being true. It 
appears that in my absence he had received orders 
to remain in the vicinity of Paris indefinitely, and 
for this reason he had now decided to put his de- 
layed scheme into effect. That scheme was your 
abduction, I have every reason to believe. He told 
me to come back to him in the afternoon prepared to 
leave Paris at once. I left a note for Richards, but 
could give him no definite data as to my destination. 
We left Paris that night in a big touring car and 
came here after many twists and turns. He has 
evidently rented the chateau, for he had the keys 
and a paper showing his authority to take over the 
establishment. All the old retainers, or such few 
of them still employed on the estate, were immedi- 
ately discharged. The following day several men 
reported here and took over the menial tasks of the 
household and I was installed as the housekeeper. 
I do not know how many men are here, but I do 
know that there are many who come and go, and 
that the house is alwaj^s under guard. Not desiring 
172 


U. S. MARINE 


to arouse any suspicion, I have not attempted to go 
about the grounds, but I am convinced that even I 
would not be allowed to wander far away. I also 
know that from here homing pigeons are released 
frequently, and that they carry messages to the 
enemy is certain. After my arrival I tried in many 
ways to communicate with Richards, but it was im- 
possible. I could not trust anyone about me. One 
evening I overheard von Etten planning some 
move. I believed it had to do with the papers. I 
heard him say that he would meet the same car that 
brought us here near a certain aviation camp located 
a few miles outside of Paris. I distinctly remem- 
bered the license number of that car. It was 
303303. After meeting the car they were to pro- 
ceed to the place they had talked about and get 
whatever it was he had to get. You see I only had 
overheard the end of the talk, and then I did not 
catch all of the conversation. The other man who 
was to meet him in the car was to leave it and be 
here at nine o’clock at night, two days later, to take 
the car back to Paris. 

“ That morning a poor little lad who often comes 
to the kitchen for such food as is left from the table, 
happened in. He is the son of a charcoal burner 
who lives on the edge of the wood at the southern 
border of the estate. I asked him if he wanted to 
earn some money. He did, and, swearing him to 

173 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

secrecy, I succeeded in sending a note by him to 
Richards. The little fellow has a brother who is a 
poilu and who was that day returning to the front, 
and Little Pierre promised to give the note to his 
brother, who would deliver it to Richards in Paris. 
I had but a short time to scribble my message and 
I fear it was quite incoherent, for I don’t doubt if 
Richards had received it and understood, something 
would have happened before now. You did not see 
anything of him, of course? ” 

“ No; Mr. Richards had long since left St. Na- 
zaire,” said Ursula. 

“ I had hardly given the note to Pierre, when von 
Etten entered the kitchen. On seeing the lad he 
went wild, and forbidding him ever to enter the 
grounds again, he went to the door and, calling one 
of his men, gave orders to allow no one to enter the 
chateau during his absence or without his special 
permission at any time, and that the boy should be 
taken to the border of the estate and told never to 
come back. The little chap appeared badly fright- 
ened, but he nevertheless had concealed my letter 
under his smock, and by a slight motion of his head 
toward me, he told me as plainly as though in 
words that he would see it was delivered. I saw a 
chance of getting a faithful little ally in my service, 
and, begging von Etten to permit me to make up a 
small package of food for him as he was so poor and 

174 


V. S. MARINE 


needy, and the permission being granted, I went 
about iny task. While busy in the pantry I wrote 
a note to Pierre, and made arrangements for him to 
meet me once each week at a certain hour and at a 
rendezvous not far from the house. You see out 
there the roof of an old summer-house in the gar- 
dens? That is where we have arranged for the 
meeting. 

“ Of course I do not know whether he will be 
there or not. I concealed my note inside a loaf of 
black bread, so I have no doubt that it was found by 
him or his parents. To-night I am to meet him, 
and I will give him your letters. All this is to tell 
you very simply now that I know von Etten has the 
papers somewhere in this house. If I effected your 
escape now, providing I could do so, he would be 
forced to leave here at once and he might fail to take 
me with him. There is a large field, a former pri- 
vate race-track, in the center of the woods back of 
the chateau, where aeroplanes can land in safety. 
It has already been used on occasion by enemy 
planes for the purpose of dropping off spies behind 
our lines. Yesterday a German, dressed as a 
French air-pilot, landed there bringing despatches 
for von Etten. I took in the packet and I have 
read the contents of nearly all the letters, but, of 
course, he does not know that I have seen them. 
Pie has orders to establish a relay station here for 

175 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

homing pigeons. Also he has received direct orders 
to either send or bring the papers to Berlin. He 
does not wish to leave here or to turn over the pa- 
pers, for if he can manage to decode them it would 
mean immense fortune and power for him no matter 
how the war turns out. For that reason he is going 
to use your presence as the cause for his delay, and 
that the paj)ers are too valuable to trust to anj^one 
else for transmittal. I hope to discover his hiding- 
place for the documents. When I discover that 
and can notify Richards, my work is accomplished, 
but until I do know it would be foolish to make any 
false move which would add to the difficulty of my 
task. 

“I feel certain that no bodily harm will come to 
either of you. You have your little pistol, which 
will be useful in case of emergency and I am not 
present to be of aid to you, but I want j^ou to prom- 
ise not to use it except as a last resort, or otherwise 
you may upset my plans. Now, are you both will- 
ing to aid me by doing as I say? ” 

Ninon’s tale had been long, but she spoke rapidly 
and clearly and both Ursula and INIarie eagerly 
agreed to help her in any way they could. They 
looked upon the matter with some excitement, only 
natural under the circumstances. What would be a 
few days’ imprisonment compared to such a won- 
derful opportunity to aid their country? 

176 


C7. S, MARINE 


Ninon then left the room to bring up their break-- 
fast and during her absence new notes were written 
to Dick and Mrs. Faure. 

That same evening before they retired for the 
night, the woman assured them that her meeting 
had passed off successfully and the letters were 
even then on their way to their destination. Other- 
wise the day passed without incident. 


177 


CHAPTER XIII 


BAYONETS^ BOMBS AND GAS 

“ I WANT action, men, action ! Remember but 
one thing in the assault, and that one thing is this — 
you have real enemies in front of you. There must 
be no weak-kneed, weak-hearted stuff. Every jab, 
every thrust, every move you make, is for one pur- 
pose — to kill your enemy. Kill him ! — not to 
wound, or maim, or injure him — but kill him! ’’ 

The instructor, a thin, wiry, muscular man, stood 
before a row of breathless marines who had, a mo- 
ment before, dashed across the snow, slush, and 
mud-covered ground, striking, thrusting, punching, 
jabbing, at a series of dummy figures spread out 
before their advance. They had thought that with 
this last mad chase they must have succeeded and 
fully expected praise. Instead, the continued 
“ hammering ” at them was all that they could hear. 

“ You, Lieutenant Turner, took the assault as if 
you felt there were dummies in front of you. For- 
get dummies ! See only a red face, glaring eyes, a 
set jaw and clenched teeth — see a man — a Boche, 
waiting — ready to kill you. When you jumped 
into their trench and jabbed at that prone figure, 
178 


U. S. MARINE 


your bayonet merely had force enough behind it to 
go part way through. Do it as the lieutenant on 
your right did it — Lieutenant Comstock — he jabbed 
the bayonet clean through the man and into the 
ground, and when he withdrew, it was not done 
gently. He placed his foot on the figure, and 
pulled with all his strength, and then on to the next. 
He wasn’t fighting dummies, you know, but real 
men who will kill him. Kill his father, his mother, 
his sister. Men who will devastate his home. 

“ Now, all of you face about, and go back again 
in the assault. Never forget! Fight for your life. 
The freedom of your own home and your country 
depends on you. Kill 1 ” 

It was toward the end of hard, strenuous weeks 
of training. During certain hours each day, officers 
and men had been having the preliminary drills in 
the new style of bayonet fighting. 

Perhaps it might appear that this method — this 
instructor, was harsh and unnecessarily cruel; but 
the Great War had developed entirely new methods 
and new principles. The day of believing it re- 
quired two able-bodied men to carry one wounded 
man off the field, and therefore by wounding one, 
the fighting efficiency or strength was reduced by 
three, had gone never to return. War was more 
hideous in its grimness and ghastliness than ever be- 
fore, and to wound instead of kill, to show mercy or 
179 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

any of the milk of human kindness in actual assault 
could not be thought of. The days of the chivalrous 
enemy seemed to have passed. “ Show a man 
mercy,” said those who had been through many 
battles with these Huns, “ and when you leave him 
behind you he shoots you in the back.” 

Every effort was made to rouse the fighting 
spirit. It may be truthfully said that it bordered 
closely on the brutal spirit; but the instructions in 
the Manual for Bayonet Training leave no room 
for doubt as to its meaning, for thus it reads: 
“ There is no sentiment about the use of the bayo- 
net. It is a cold-blooded proposition. The bayo- 
net fighter kills or is killed. Few bayonet wounds 
come to the attention of the surgeon.” 

Once again the weary marines were in line, and 
again the voice of the instructor: 

“ Remember — quick aim, good direction, accu- 
rate and vigorous delivery of the thrust, and quick, 
clean withdrawals. Stand by ! Ten seconds to zero 
hour. Five seconds ! Go ! ” 

As though released from a catapult the line 
leaped out of their trench and across the short “No 
IMan’s Land.” With the Marine Corps yell they 
went into the enemy’s trench, along his zigzags, 
across a ditch here, an open space there, on to the 
end of the course, where again they stood breathless 
and perspiring. The drizzling rain fell steadily. 


U. S. MARINE 


and the slush and mud under foot seemed to 
ooze through their heavy hobnailed shoes at will, 
but it was all worth while when they heard this 
time: 

“ Much better that time. Almost the real thing, 
you know. You may do yet. Section is dismissed 
for the morning.” 

This, then, was their reward ! 

“ Who in the world was it who said they didn^t 
like that M. P. duty, Dick? ” asked Tommy Turner 
as the two were returning to their billets in the little 
village after marching their sections back to their 
parade and dismissing them. “ I say, wouldn’t a 
meal up in the rooms of he Cercle go pretty fine 
right now? We didn’t know how well off we were, 
believe me! I’m ready for another change of scene 
anj' old time now. The trenches can’t be any worse 
than this everlasting grind, grind, grind, day after 
day, and week after week.” 

“ I sure could enjoy the food. Tommy, but if it 
rested with me to go back or stick right here — 
jamais de la vie — which is as near as I can say it in 
French, — not on your life.” 

“ Oh, of course,” acquiesced Tommy, “ this is 
great business, but I should think by now that these 
instructors ought to pass us on and say we are letter 
perfect. That was some baj^onet fighting our men 
pulled off this morning. Wow! I wouldn’t want 

i8i 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

to be the Boche that this outfit meets when they cut 
loose.” 

“ Yes, the men are going at it in the right spirit. 
I really believe that each and every one of them 
conjures up a German opposing them whenever 
they jab at a dummy. They are as fierce as Bengal 
tigers.” 

“ Do you think, Dick, that there ever will be any 
real open warfare, or is it always going to be the 
same old menu — lay down a barrage, over the top, 
gain your objective a few kilometers away, dig in, 
consolidate and then wait for the counter-attack? 
It reminds me of inch-worm stuff. I’d much rather 
be doing that crocheting stunt they call ‘ a mile a 
minute.’ ” 

“ If we ever break through. Tommy, it’s my be- 
lief that the Americans are going to open their eyes. 
Give us a half-way decent start and they won’t stop 
us this side of the Rhine. The Germans began this 
rabbit burrowing, and the French and English had 
to follow suit in order to recuperate from the sur- 
prise of the first blow they received, and they never 
have gotten enough men together to break the Ger- 
man lines successfully since then.” 

''At the rate Uncle Sam is sending ’em across it 
won’t be long before they’ll make the break, I 
guess,” said Tommy. " By the way, Dick, what’s 
doing this afternoon? ” 


182 


[7. S. MARINE 


“ Hand grenades, rifle grenades and gas-mask 
drill. While I think of it, Tommy, I’m going to 
add something to what old Mac said to you this 
morning. It’s for your own good, so don’t get 
sore.” 

“ Fire away, old top, I’m all attention.” 

“ I want to say, Tommy, that you must not be 
careless in these drills. It is bad for you and bad 
for the men. Remember in getting on your mask, 
for instance, that because the regulations say seven 
seconds is the time limit, it doesn’t mean it will hurt 
you to get it on in less time. An extra second or 
two may mean the saving of your life.” 

“All right, Dickie boy. I’ll promise to do better,” 
said Tommy, making a wry face, “ only to keep do- 
ing these same things over and over again is fear- 
fully tiresome, and when a fellow knows he can do 
it, why bother? ” 

“ For the very reason I have stated. The idea 
of all this repetition is to make us do these things 
instinctively. You know. Tommy, when a baby 
first begins to walk he has to think which foot goes 
forward, but finally when he has grown up, he 
doesn’t have to think about which foot he must use, 
his limbs practically do the thinking for him, and so 
it applies to all these things we are having to do: 
Our hands and arms and feet go through the man- 
ual part of it seemingly without referring the mat- 

183 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

ter to the brain — it has become a habit, and it leaves 
the brain free to think of other matters which re- 
quire attention. I’ll tell you another thing’ a se- 
cret of the military profession, Tommy, and it’s 
this, — the men expect and look to their officers to 
excel them in most things, and you can’t know how 
closely they watch their superiors and pattern after 
them. An officer has to be an example, and an ex- 
ample the men can admire, respect, and — yes — love. 
If that is the case, they will follow him through any- 
thing — anywhere. In other words, to be a success- 
ful officer, you must be a leader in every sense of the 
word. I’ve come up from the ranks and I kno^v 
exactly how men think about this matter.” 

“ Didn’t I come up from the ranks, too? ” asked 
Tommy, protestingly. 

“ Yes, you did. Tommy, but in many ways it was 
unfortunate that you were shot up and didn’t really 
grow up.” 

“All right, old Sky Pilot,' I’ll mend my ways, but 
don’t preach any more right now, Dick, because my 
shoes are so full of slush that I can’t concentrate 
another second.” 

The rain of the morning continued on into the 
afternoon, but rain means nothing to an army train- 
ing for the coming conflict. In wars of to-day, one 
fights in spite of the weather not because of it, and 

^Cognomen given the chaplains in the service. 

184 


U. S. MARINE 


it would never do to lose a battle on the plea that 
one was unaccustomed to handling a slippery rifle, 
or crawling over oozy, puddle-spotted fields of mud, 
for never having experienced the sensations in other 
than dry weather and ground of one’s own choos- 
ing. 

Out on the manoeuver fields and practice grounds 
the drills went forward with the regularity of clock- 
work, and to follow the day’s routine was ever inter- 
esting to visitors and observers. 

Soon after their arrival at Colombey the cam- 
paign hat of the Marines had given place to steel 
helmets of the English type, and, too, there were 
issued to each man and officer two styles of gas 
masks, one French and the other English. The 
new warfare had demonstrated its power to bring 
forth new horrors, and not the least of these was the 
use of poisonous gasses ; and to see the men wearing 
these curious masks, which were invented as a pro- 
tection, left on everyone witnessing it for the first 
time an ineradicable impression that the world had 
become peopled by a new class of demons. Some of 
the new monsters had pointed snouts, some round 
snouts peppered with small and numerous openings 
like the bottom of a colander, some with glazed eyes 
and long pipe-like probosces — truly a world of gob- 
lins and hobgoblins ! 

At the afternoon gas drill. Private Jackson, of 
185 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

Tommy’s section, who had just reported back from 
a siege in the hospital, was out to gather all the in- 
formation he had so far missed, and he kept close to 
Tommy’s elbow at all times. 

“ Will you tell me this, sir,” he said, engaging the 
young officer’s attention, “ why is it necessary to 
insist on seven seconds in putting on the gas mask? ” 
“ It’s this way, Jackson; a gas cloud is propelled 
by the wind, and its velocity depends on the velocity 
of this wind. Naturally our enemies would not re- 
lease their gas clouds unless the wind was blowing 
away from their own trenches. Now if the wind 
blows at the rate of three, nine or fifteen miles an 
hour, it would carry along the gas cloud at a rate of 
ninety, two hundred and seventy, and four hundred 
and fifty yards per minute, respectively. That’s 
easy to remember — thirty times the rate of the wind 
per hour equals the number of yards the cloud 
moves per minute. Now suppose the wind is mov- 
ing at nine miles an hour, the cloud would cover one 
hundred yards in about twenty seconds. In many 
cases our trenches along the lines are less than that 
distance apart.” 

“ Even so, sir, why is it necessary to get the masks 
on in such a hurry? ” persisted Jackson. 

“ There are many reasons. Often the cloud may 
not be observed until it is on top of you. The 
faster the wind the faster it moves, and sometimes, 
1 86 


U. S. MARINE 


too, its presence is not discovered until you get the 
odor or the effects.” 

“You have to take into consideration the chance 
of gas shells, too; don’t you, sir? ” asked one of the 
others who interpolated his remark, not because he 
wished to show and air his knowledge, but because 
in these talks as a rule men were encouraged to 
voice their opinions and make suggestions. 

“ I was coming to that,” said Tommy. “ Yes, 
they also bottle up their poisonous substances in 
shells and bombs, and as these often are not detected 
while in flight and only when the gasses escape on 
explosion in the midst of the men, you can see how 
essential it is to get that little old protector on in the 
shortest possible time. The gasses used affect the 
eyes, the throat, lungs and even the blood cor- 
puscles. Even so small a proportion as one part 
gas to ten thousand parts air cannot be taken for 
more than three or four breaths, so you see how 
deadly the stuff is. Now gas shells don’t depend 
on the direction of the wind. They can be used at 
any old time with telling effect.” 

“ Supi^ose a man gets gassed, what is the best 
thing to do? ” asked Jackson. 

“ In all gas casualties we have been instmcted 
that rest is the most important point to remember. 
You shouldn’t move around, or shout, or take part 
in any violent exercise. Lie down, loosen your 
187 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

clothing, remove your pack and rest. Of course, 
the surgeon must be on the job and give you expert 
treatment right away — depending on the kind of 
gas poison you have had. To chase around even if 
gassed slightly may mean your loss to the fighting 
line. Many men have thought themselves all right 
and later died or were incapacitated for good as far 
as future service as a soldier is concerned.” 

“ Are there any gasses you can’t tell about 
whether they are around or not? ” 

“ I dare say there may be more than one, but I 
know of only one. It’s called carbon monoxide. 
It has no color, nor odor, and does not irritate the 
Qyes nor the throat. Therefore, it’s a mean one 
and there is, so far, no mask which will protect you 
against that stuff,” said Tommy. 

“ Do they send that kind of dope over at you? ” 

“ Never heard of their doing so,” Tommy replied. 
“ The places you find it are during mining opera- 
tions due to imperfect combustion on detonation of 
the explosives used in sending off the mine. It’s 
the same kind of gas that is given off by a coke fire 
in those heating braziers you frequently find in 
houses and billets. In case you ever have occasion 
to use one, I’d advise you to make pretty sure your 
room is well ventilated and the air circulation good, 
or, as the Irishman said, ‘ You might be wakin’ up 
to find yerself dead.’ ” 

1 88 


U. S. MARINE 


Tommy squinted at his wrist- watch and then put 
a stop to further questions. “ Time for grenade 
drill,” he said, “ and after we have our usual prac- 
tice with the French V. B.’s I’ll explain a new gre- 
nade that we are making in the States and which 
will probably be adopted by our troops.” 

To describe the develo]3ment of the hand grenade 
would require a research of the very first days of 
warfare between man. Doubtless the hand gre- 
nades of the Stone Age were huge rocks or other 
hard substances hurled by the Cave Man at his 
enemy. At one time in the history of the weapon 
it was popular and effective, but finally it became 
used less and less, and for many years was quite 
forgotten. The invention of gunpowder did not 
displace it at once, but eventually gunpowder made 
it possible to hurl objects over greater distances 
than was within the power of human muscular ac- 
tion, and with the progression of the years the 
methods of conflict changed from the universal 
hand-to-hand encounter to long-distance prelimi- 
nary fighting. Then the use of high explosives and 
high-powered propelling mechanisms for the greater 
distances, and the rifle, bayonet and pistol for the 
closer contact, entirely supplanted the hand gre- 
nade, the fire bombs, the boiling pitch, the stink pots 
and the blazing oil of feudal days. 

When the Germans found their advance blocked 
189 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

on the banks of the Marne in their first mad rush 
toward Paris, and they felt the indomitable spirit of 
the French people stopping their progress as with 
those famous words which echoed around the world, 
“ They shall not pass,” the poilus fought off their 
hated foes, the Hun hastily retreated and choosing 
a location in the country already overrun with their 
gray-clad hosts, they began to grovel in the dirt and 
hide behind their lines of trenches. The advancing 
French and English finding their united strength 
insufficient to drive the Boche from his holes and 
unable to go around his flanks, were forced to stop 
and wait. Then began a new style of warfare, and 
with it the long-forgotten hand grenade reappeared 
on the lists of warlike weapons, and it will probably 
so remain. 

To the American marine the prescribed methods 
of throwing the hand grenades did not appeal, but 
they practiced it assiduously nevertheless, and be- 
came expert in the art. It is safe to assert that in 
real action, however, the new form was forgotten 
and the instincts of Young America’s days on the 
baseball diamond came into use, and the effect was, 
without doubt, as fatal. 

Arriving on the field devoted to hand grenade 
practice. Tommy put his men through their paces 
and then gave them a short lecture on the history of 
a new little weapon, about the size of a large lemon, 
190 


U. S. MARINE 


which he held in the palm of his hand. Althougfi 
similar to the French “ citron,” it was larger and 
heavier, and was made after the Mill’s method of 
hand grenade. In concluding his talk the young 
officer said: 



Hand grenade — fall size — used by Tommy Turner during 
his talk to the men of his section. 


“ Now this little old lemon-like thing is made of 
malleable iron, because cast iron is liable to pulver- 
ize when the explosive inside the thing smashes it 
ujD. Malleable iron will not act in that way, but 
each one of these little sections will break off as a 
section and not as dust. You all will notice 
that the sides of the lemon are scored deeply, 
191 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


and these grooves divide the grenade into forty 
sections.” 

“ How much does it weigh, sir? ” asked someone. 

“ Twenty-two ounces, or almost a pound and a 
half,” answered Tommy. 

“ How long after releasing the lever does the 
thing explode, sir? ” asked Jackson, back again on 
the job. 

“ The fuse is timed to burn five seconds — that is, 
generally sj)eaking, for it is never more than three- 
fifths of a second out of the way, plus or minus. 
Now, in throwing the overhand throw, the safety 
cotter-pin having first been withdrawn by placing 
the finger of the left hand through the ring and giv- 
ing it a quick jerk, your grenade is ready for action. 
In the old grenade, as soon as you removed your 
hand from the lever it would fly up and then the 
contraption was on its way, and if it were acci- 
dentally dropped everyone would have to beat it or 
it was liable to beat them.” 

“ How far would the pieces fly, sir? ” 

“ The effective radius of this particular grenade 
is seventy-five yards,” answered Tommy. 

“ W ell, sir,” said the bright-ej^ed Jackson, “ there 
are but few fellows able to sprint a hundred yards 
in less than ten seconds, and as that thing is going 
off in five, why not pick it up and chuck it away 
instead of running against time? ” 

192 


U. S. MARINE 


“ ISTot only good advice, Jackson, but it has been 
done frequently, and if you had waited a moment 
I’d have given you the same advice. I’m glad to see 
that men in my section are capable of doing a little 
quick thinking ‘ on their own,’ ” and Tommy’s smile 
was contagious. “ But to continue with my demon- 
stration. After pulling the pin in this type of 
gTenade the lever does not fly out directly on being 
released, but in throwing it the thumb passes along 
the lever and pushes it to one side about twenty de- 
grees; the lever is then tripped and five seconds 
after, the explosion occurs. This cap or cover on 
the end is of course first shaken or pulled off, after 
the pin has been pulled. I will now illustrate the 
action.” 

With a quick movement the pin was pulled, and 
Tommy gave the grenade a shake to remove the 
cap, but because of the rain, the grenade slipped 
in his hand, dropping into a deep, dirty puddle of 
mud and water at his feet. As it fell Tommy felt 
his thumb slide over the lever, and knew that the 
little instrument of death was even now rushing 
on to that time when the fuse inside, burning its 
“ five seconds — plus or minus,” would detonate the 
high explosive therein and endanger the life of 
every man in the vicinity. 

Not a person present but who had witnessed 
Tommy pull the pin, and every man knew by the 

193 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

expression of horror on Tommy’s face that the lever 
had been released. For a single instant they stood 
spellbound. 

“ Beat it! ” cried the voice of Private Jackson. 

It was as though a spur had been driven into a 
lagging horse. There was a spinning about as 
though on pivots, a slipping, slushing, slathering, 
slopping through the mud holes, and the section 
was following the words to a letter. They were 
“ beating it ” as fast as legs could carry them. 

To Tommy it seemed as though ages passed be- 
fore he could move, but when he did move, it was to 
fall on his knees and fumble about in the water with 
both hands. He saw nothing; heard nothing; 
thought of nothing but one thing; that was to find 
the grenade and fling it far over the barrier behind 
him. Hours must have passed. His hands came 
in contact with other hands. What did that mean? 
Had the infernal machine already exploded and 
blown him to Kingdom Come, and now was he 
having some weird experience in that next world, 
— in Heaven? 

“I have it!” 

This wasn’t his voice that shouted the words. 
Even his voice must have changed with his passing 
away, and then he heard a roar behind him. He 
came back to earth, and there on the opposite side of 
the pool of mud, down on all fours, elbow deep in 
194 


U. S. MARINE 


the slime, and looking like a great frog ready to 
leap in the air, was Private Jackson. 

“ I didn’t stop to count, sir, but I’m thinking 
that there grenade was one with the time limit plus; 
don’t you, sir? ” 

Tommy removed one shaking hand from the 
puddle and brushed it over his eyes to make sure 
that this thing was real. 

“Why didn’t you beat it?” he demanded ir- 
relevantly. 

“ Couldn’t help you find the darned thing and 
run too, sir,” answered Jackson, naively. 

By this time the others came running back, and 
remarks began flying about thick and fast. 

“ Anyone hurt? ” 

“ Who found the bloomin’ thing, anyway? ” 

“ Lucky little pick-up, what I calls it.” 

“ Wonder who the guy was what said, ‘ beat it ’? 
Before I knew what I was doin’, I was runnin’ with 
the rest of the sheep.” 

“ It was Jackson, blame him. Made a lot of 
monkeys out of us, and then tried to win a Croix 
de Guerre, when he got us out of the way.” 

“ Fall in ! Drill is finished for the afternoon,” 
and with that, passed an heroic incident in the life 
of a marine in the training area of which there is no 
record, and no citation. 


195 


CHAPTER XIV 


MARINES IN THE TRENCHES 

It was while in the training area at Colombey 
that Dick and Tommy heard first the actual thun- 
der of the great guns engaged in their artillery duel 
along the lines of opposing trenches. 

One evening, after a day of extraordinarily hard 
plugging, they returned to their billets, and after 
washing up and getting into dry, clean clothes set 
off for a walk to a near-by village where Jean Ram- 
bault kept a little tavern famous for his particular 
style of egg omelette. The old ramshackle place 
was in a sense a general meeting point, and after 
the day’s work many an officer and man from the 
different villages in the training area walked the 
extra kilometers to partake of Jean’s food, listen 
to the rumors that floated about, and meet friends 
from the neighboring camps. 

If a French cook was ever knighted for any one 
particular dish, it is the belief of the marines who 
have “ been there ” and know, that it was in the 
Field of Omelette he won his golden spurs. 

It was about the middle of March. The beauti- 
ful spring-like weather was beginning to make all 
hands believe that “ Sunny France ” was not a 
196 


U. S. MARINE 


misnomer after all. Over a month had passed since 
General Pershing had made his inspection of the 
Fifth Regiment and issued his complimentary re- 
marks to the Colonel Commanding. The intensive 
training had continued, and the marines had been 
put through their paces in all the specialties. They 
had hiked to St. Ouen for tours of duty in the prac- 
tice trenches, and several officers of the regiment had 
gone to the specialist schools in the Gondrecourt 
area, and while there had been under actual gun- 
fire of the enemy. 

Daily, rumors were circulated that the marines 
were really going into the trenches. All extra 
clothing had been turned in, sea-bags stowed away, 
while trench knives and trench boots had been 
issued. Since the middle of February the Fourth 
Brigade, as a brigade, and consisting of the Fifth 
and Sixth Regiments and the Sixth IMachine Gun 
Battalion, less one comx^any still absent on duty in 
England, had been training as a unit, and a part 
of the Second Division of the American Expedi- 
tionary Forces, and for these reasons the probabil- 
ity of actual contact with the Prussian appeared 
near at hand. 

“ We’ve had about every kind of a baptism over 
here in France that a man can have,” Tommy was 
remarking, as he and Dick were plodding along the 
road on their return to Colombe}’’ late that night, 

197 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ water, rain, snow, hail, mud and sunshine, but we 
still lack the only kind a soldier wants and really 
looks forward to — and that is a baptism of fire. I 
wonder when it’s coming? ” 

“ Soon, Tommy. I’m certain of it,” ahswered 
Dick. 

“ How does it feel, Dick? You know, sometimes 
I get thinking about it and I know I’m going to be 
‘ skeered out of a year’s growth.’ And sometimes 
I wonder if being afraid is going to make me run? 
That’s one reason why I wish it would come soon. 
Then if I find out I am a coward, why, I’ll — 
I’ll ” 

“ Join the Navy? ” questioned Dick. 

“ No, Dick, if I’m a coward. I’ll — I’ll shoot my- 
self.” And Tommy’s voice, soft and low, held a 
quality of firmness and decision from which all 
levity had vanished. “ I — I just couldn’t stand be- 
ing a coward, Dick, and sometimes I’m afraid to 
think about it. I almost wish that I didn’t have to 
be put to the test.” 

“ Merely because you’re afraid doesn’t make a 
coward of you. Tommy,” said Dick. “ Everyone is 
afraid. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, and never 
fear. Tommy, you’ll find that you’ll be so busy when 
the time really comes that you’ll forget all about 
your fears and dig in like the rest of them.” 

“ Oh, I’ll be digging in all right, in fact I’ll prob- 
198 


U. S. MARINE 


ably go right on through to China or whatever place 
happens to be opposite my starting point/’ replied 
the boy brightening perceptibly, for it was plain 
to be seen that Dick’s words had had the desired 
effect. “ The very first gun I hear, you just watch 
the gravel fly — as the sparks fly — ^upward.” 

“ I don’t believe that,” replied Dick, smilingly, 

“ I’ll make a bet on it, Dick.” 

“ All right. We’ll see; now stop here in the road 
a minute. Keep quiet, and listen.” 

They halted, and stood listening for a while. 
Finally Tommy, who was never one to long remain 
inactive, could stand it no longer. 

“ What’s the big idea, Dick? I can’t hear any- 
thing.” 

“ Don’t you notice a sort of something in the air? 
Sounds a little like the roar in your ears when you 
are gaping, only not quite so loud. Maybe more 
like a pulse beat. Right now ! Listen ! ” 

“ Why, yes, I hear that,” said Tommy. “ Often 
hear it at night when everything’s quiet and still. 
It’s some manufactory or something, isn’t it? ” 
“No,” replied Dick, “ that is the roar of the big 
guns — the artilleiy along the lines. They are over 
a hundred kilometers away as the crow flies, and 
think what it must be like close to them ! ” 

“ You win, Dick! I didn’t start for China, and 
I’ve at last heard the thunder of the guns to really 
199 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

know what they are, and I’m not ‘ sheered ’ a bit. 
Hooray ! Let’s go ! ” 
l)ick laughed, and they started on. 

‘‘ Get any mail, Dick? ” questioned Tommy, 
after they had gone a little ways along the road in 
silence. “ I saw the orderly going the rounds, but 
he didn’t leave anything for me.” 

“ Yes, I received several letters, and they have 
got me mixed up a bit. One, a letter from Ursula, 
said they were all right; having a very exciting 
time, but that she couldn’t write me anything of her 
whereabouts nor what she was doing, but would 
have something interesting to relate when she saw 
me.” 

“ Did she say anything about Marie’s mother? ” 
“ No, but Marie added a postscript saying that 
her mother was all right, and that the report of the 
accident was a mistake. Then in the same mail 
came a letter from Richards. He hinted at a lot of 
things, and in the end told me nothing. Didn’t say 
where he was, but did say he was still working on the 
case, evidently referring to a previous letter which 
I have never received. It seems I’ve lost out some- 
where, and though all of them said not to worry, 
I can’t make out v hat they are driving at, and nat- 
urally worry all the more. It’s the first mail I’ve 
received from Ursula and her letter was not even 
dated. I suppose I could have told from the post- 
200 


V. S. MARINE 


marks but I'd foolishly dropped the envelopes into 
the fire and they were destroyed. Richards’ letter 
was dated February first. It has just reached me 
— that’s service for you, but then, I will saj^ the 
P. O. Department deserve a lot of credit just the 
same. They have some task over here ! ” 

The following morning the marines were electri- 
fied to hear that they were going into the front line 
trenches almost immediately. Many and various 
were the opinions advanced as to where this scene 
of their first real service under fire was likely to be. 
All questions and queries came to an end, however, 
on the fifteenth of March. 

“ Begorra the powers that be waited until we 
Irish could celebrate in honor of St. Patrick,” said 
old Mike Dorian, as company after company began 
entraining at Breuvannes. 

“Yes, you’re right, Mike, but it was to remind 
you that if Saint Patrick could drive all the snakes 
out of Ireland, then his chosen flock who are en- 
gaged in this war should have no difficulty in driv- 
ing these Prussian reptiles out of their holes on the 
other side of No Man’s Land,” added Jim Calkins, 
and he unstrapped his heavy blanket roll from his 
back and tossed it into the car in which he was to 
ride. 

Soon the trains were on their way and on arrival 
at Lemmes and Sommedieue, as the case might be, 
201 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

they were told that this was as far as the cars could 
take them, and so once again they detrained and 
prepared to hike to Ancemont where they were to 
go into billets. And now for the first time they had 
a glimpse of the enemy. As the men came hurrying 
from the cars there came the unmistakable whirring 
and buzzing as of an army of bees let loose from a 
hive and overhead, well down for better observa- 
tion, fiew a German aeroplane. On the wings of 
the machine was plainly discernible the black, 
Maltese cross — replica of the iron cross given for 
valor at one time in the Army of the Kaiser, but 
now made as common as dirt by the acts for which 
it had been awarded in this present war. Seeming 
to circle overhead with the gracefulness of a bird 
the observer held his position for a time watched 
bj^ the curious marines far beneath. Then came a 
whirring through the air and the sound of an ex- 
plosion, which sent the marines to cover in a hurry. 
Then followed other explosions, as the enemy guns 
hurled their missiles of death across the miles inter- 
vening. But it was not long before the humming 
overhead increased, and there came from over the 
tree tops three French machines. The Hun did not 
wait to signal any more ranges to his cannoneers, 
but turning tail he and his pursuers were soon lost 
to view amid the resounding cheers of the now re- 
assembled marines. 


202 


U. S. MARINE 


However, it was due to this aviator’s presence and 
direction of his distant batteries that the first 
casualty of the war in the ranks of the marines oc- 
curred. The big bass drum belonging to the Fifth 
Regiment band was struck in the head by a piece of 
shrapnel and “put on the bum,” said Dorian. 
“ However,” he added, reflectively, “ the old noise 
maker is entitled to be a-wearin’ a wound chevron 
as well as a coujple of service stripes, and that’s 
more’n anny of us has got yet, be-dad.” 

Arriving at Ancemont and once more in billets, 
the cleaning process had to be renewed, but this time 
the cows often shared the same comj)artment with 
the men, and the hens and roosters defiantly cackled 
from the rafters of the out-houses, and over their 
heads in the early morning. 

Ancemont was under constant observation of the 
German fliers. For this reason the drills were only 
carried on when conditions were most unfavorable 
for the gathering of information by enemy air- 
craft. A visit from Secretary of the War, Baker, 
and other officials followed in a day or two by the 
sending of all officers who were to take over the 
trenches to spend a day on the front line, there to 
go over the ground and familiarize themselves with 
the new duties upon which they were about to enter. 

Dick and Tommy were among those to go and 
they thoroughly enjoyed this first visit, being en- 
203 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

tertained royally by the officers commanding the 
French troops whom they were to replace. And, 
too, the youngsters were now eager to begin their 
new tasks, in spite of the mud and water in the 
trenches, and the hardships that they knew would 
be forthcoming. 

In this particular area, designated as a quiet one, 
during the day the crack of the rifle, the rattle of 
the machine gun, and the exi)losion of great guns 
and high-powered projectiles was seldom heard, but 
at night the show generally began, but even then it 
^vas of such slight importance that it was decidedly 
uninteresting for old and seasoned fighters. How- 
ever to the Fourth Brigade of Marines of the Sec- 
ond Division it was all new and therefore exciting. 

“ Quiet? ” remarked Tommy Turner, whose fear, 
after a few shots had sent him ducking beneath the 
parapet, was now a thing of the past, “ it’s about as 
quiet as it would be if the whole litter of Kilkenny 
Cats were let loose in a tin wash boiler with a couple 
of cow^-bells tied to their tails and these French 
wooden shoes studded with hobnails fastened on 
each of their four feet. Huh, if this is quiet, let me 
go to sleep in a boiler maker’s establishment while 
it’s Avorking full blast and I’ll be much obliged to 
you.” 

For a few days came practical work in the dig- 
ging of trenches — reserve trenches they were, but 
204 


U. S. MARINE 


reserve trenches are not so far in back of the fire 
trenches that the job can be handled with impunity, 
and on April first the enemy shelled the working 
party then engaged in the task and the first member 
of the Marine Brigade serving in France to make 
the glorious sacrifice fell here under the shrapnel 
fire from the German guns. 

In the little Ravine d'Hedevause, near the end 
of the boyau Dessiriou, a few days later was erected 
a simple wooden cross over gTave number eight, and 
on a square piece of tin suspended thereto appears 
the name of the hero who lies there; Emil H. 
Gehrke, 82nd Co., 3rd Battalion, 6th Regiment, 4th 
Brigade, United States Marine Corps." 

This sad incident was not known to the members 
of Captain Harrison’s company for they had previ- 
ously taken over from the French their allotted 
sector in the front line. According to custom this 
relief of the trenches began early in the evening un- 
der cover of darkness so that the Boche could not 
be aware of the changes under way. The move- 
ment began at 7.35 p. m. on March 30th, and by 
3.15 A. M. of March 31st the relief of the 14th Regi- 
ment of French Infantry had been completed, and 
in the long, deep length of narrow, tw^isting trench, 
the marines eagerly awaited the coming of day to 

* Three other members of the 82nd Company were dangerously 
wounded at this same time. One of whom, Private Harry R. Will- 
iams, died of his wounds a few days later. 

205 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

catch their first view of the enemy across No Man’s 
Land, over a thousand yards in width at most 
points in this sector. 

“ Do you suppose the sun will ever rise? ” whis- 
pered Tommy to Dick, as the two sat on the fire 
stej) of the trench, with the mud and water slop- 
ping about their feet, waiting impatiently for the 
first break in the eastern sky. 

“Yes, Tommy, I guess our arrival hasn’t 
stopped that natural phenomenon,” said Dick, 
dryly, “ though I will confess it has stopped the ris- 
ing sun of Germany’s hopes and aspirations. She’s 
a gone coon. Tommy ! ” 

“ Wonder if they know who are opiDOsing them 
over here? ” queried the boy. “ Of course their 
fliers spotted the arrival of new troops, but it seems 
hardly likely that they could make out who we 
were. You know, Dick, before I learned better I 
supposed that all along the lines the different de- 
tachments from the various countries taking part in 
the war would have their colors planted on the 
trench top, snapping out in the breeze in defiance 
of each other, but I understand that the colors are 
never near the front lines. You won’t be able to 
capture any flags over here as you did your Haitian 
battle flag.” 

“ The reason for not having the flags up, 
Tommy, is another development of this war. The 
206 


C7. S. MARINE 


presence of characteristic regimental flags, or of 
national flags along the trenches would be a dead 
give-away to the enemy opposing us. Such infor- 
mation would be of great value in determining their 
plans for attack, and therefore every bit of news as 
to the name, regiment, and nationality of the men 
in the trenches is carefully guarded.” 

“ Being so close to us I suppose they are mighty 
curious by now as to who they have across from 
them.” 

“ Yes, and they’ll soon realize that there are new 
troops in this line. You see we undoubtedly will 
do things in some small way different from the 
poilus we just relieved. Then they’ll probably start 
out to try and get information.” 

“ How; by raiding us and trying to take some of 
us prisoners? ” questioned Tommy. 

“ Yes, but I imagine they will first try and get 
some of our fellows out in No Man’s Land and 
when that fails, then I expect they’ll be coming 
along with a good-sized raiding party.” 

“ Gee ! But I hope we are in when they try to 
pull that stunt. I don’t know what the French may 
have been doing in here, but I do know that Mister 
Hunky Hun will get the surprise of his young life 
when he comes over to pay us that visit,” said 
Tommy. 

“ It’s getting lighter; let’s take a look,” said 
207 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

Dick, and getting up he peered out through the 
loophole at the eastern sky, where now a glow was 
appearing low down on the distant horizon. 

Over the German trenches every now and then a 
flash bespoke the discharge of some great gun, and 
then later came the whispering through the air of 
the projectile in flight overhead, followed in nearly 
every instance by two seemingly simultaneous re- 
ports — the sound of the discharge in front, and the 
exploding of the shell in rear. 

“ Isn’t much to look at yet,” said Tommy, ‘‘ but 
maybe things will brighten up as the day advances.” 

“ I doubt it,” replied Dick. “ This is a quiet 
sector and I suppose that’s why we’re in here. Give 
us a chance to get used to the game by degrees. 
The French soldiers we relieved told me that dur- 
ing the day all hands go to sleep because it’s as 
quiet as a graveyard. At night things wake up 
occasionally, but there hasn’t been a raid from the 
German side in months.” 

Dick’s words proved true. During the entire day 
not a shot was fired, and the artillery rumblings 
were far away from their position. Though men 
were kept constantly on watch, not a sign of life 
could be seen in the opposing trenches. One almost 
doubted that they were occupied. 

It was a decidedly new experience to lie around 
during the day and sleep, but there was little else 


U. S. MARINE 


left to do, except new “ Duck boards ” to be made 
so as to keep one from falling into the deeper mud 
holes, or constant pulling on the hand pumps in an 
effort to keep out some of the water which at times 
became uncomfortably deep. There was no cook- 
ing done in the front lines and all food for the men 
there was brought up at certain hours by men de- 
tailed for that purpose, and that the food lost both 
in taste and warmth during its long journey was 
evidenced by the growls forthcoming. 

“ What did ye put the ice in the soup fer, ye 
blockhead? ” 

“ Say, Bo, couldn’t you have spilled a little more 
of the slum while on your way, so’s we needn’t fight 
over what’s barely coverin’ the bottom? ” 

“ Did you eat all you wanted on the way out, 
Bill? You look mighty well fed up to me. How’s 
it to get your job for a while? ” 

These were the thanks meted out to those who 
toted by those who waited. 

So passed the first and second and third days. 

In the sector occupied by the Marine Brigade, 
while one battalion of each regiment was held in the 
front line trenches, the other two battalions were 
held in reserve. That is, ready at a moment’s no- 
tice to rush into the line in support in case of a 
general attack, but it was soon found that trench 
life was not to be a life of ease. Reserve trenches 
209 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

were to be dug, and old trenches repaired where 
broken down; dugouts to be made more habitable; 
drainage to be improved; wire entanglements made 
more impassable; strong points to be strengthened; 
listening posts established; preparations for night 



A plan of front line trenches. The wire entanglements are 
not shown. The distances of entanglements in front of the fire 
trench vary — 50 to 100 yards, and in some cases even closer. 


firing by machine guns and rifles over certain desig- 
nated sectors; patrolling of No Man’s Land in 
search of enemy patrols ; destruction of enemy wire, 
and the constant vigilance necessary to keep them 
from getting information of our own forces and 
destroying our own wire. 

Whether it was due to the fact that the first 1918 
spring drive of the Germans had begun far to the 
210 


U. S. MARINE 


westward, or whether the curiosity of those troops 
opposite the marines was piqued by the evident ag- 
gressiveness of the sea-soldiers, it is certain that for 
some cause as yet undetermined, this sector near 
Verdun, famed for its non-activity on both sides, 
soon began to wake up and take a new lease on life 
and a new toll on death. 

The fourth night of the marines’ advent into their 
new work. Tommy Turner, although he had had his 
full due of sleep during the day, was sitting at the 
entrance to his dugout watching the stars over- 
head and regretting he had forgotten all he ever 
learned of astronomy. It would have given him 
an occupation during the quiet moments of an 
evening if he were able to pick out the different 
constellations in the heavens, and he was surprised 
to find how few he really could remember — Orion, 
the Pleiades, the Great Bear, — and — and — but 
Tommy’s eyes began to blink sleepily. 

“ Crack-crack-crack! ” The sound split the still- 
ness of the night like a lightning’s bolt, so sud- 
denly did it strike the ear. The man directly in 
Tommy’s front had blazed away at something in 
the darkness beyond. He was positive he had seen 
figures of men trying to cut the wire about seventy- 
five yards distant, and he was equally positive that 
he had “ gotten someone ” out there. Of course 
everyone was now on the alert and soon from an- 

2II 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

other spot along the line the stabbing points 
of flame spoke of more trouble. Then it be- 
came contagious, and the ashes were more fre- 
quent. 

- Officers, non-commissioned officers and men 
strained their eyes and stretched their ears, as it 
were, but now nothing suspicious could be seen nor 
heard. If the Germans were out there, then there 
must be a continuous line of them, and this was of 
course out of the question, for no general attack was 
ever made these days without a preliminary artil- 
lery barrage. 

Star shells were called for from time to time and 
the brilliant flares lit up the shell-torn area between 
the two lines with startling clearness, but never a 
sign. 

“ Lieutenant Comstock, take a three-man patrol 
out through the wire and see what you can discover. 
Remember your general instructions, and don’t go 
attempting any new stunts. There may be some- 
thing out there, for it seems hardly possible that all 
these men are imagining things.” 

It was not long before Dick and three of his men 
had crawled over the top of the trench, and were 
worming their way along the ground through the 
passageway left in the wire for this purpose. The 
night was dark, and though the stars were out in 
full force they gave but little light to assist the 
212 


17. S. MARINE 


searchers. A low mist was lying over No 
Sian’s Land, making things more difficult to be 
seen. 

Dick and his men before leaving the trench had 
blackened their faces because out in that dangerous 
stretch of land a white face has often been the cause 
of death or capture. All metal parts of their equip- 
ment were fixed so that no warning rattle should 
apprise an enemy of their presence, and they were 
armed with pistols, hand grenades, trench knives, 
and also carried their gas masks. In fact these 
were never for a moment supposed to be removed 
from the person to whom issued. The men slept 
with them, and at night they were supposed to be 
kept always in the “ alert ” position ready for in- 
stant use. 

If you, who read this, have never tried moving 
along the ground on the flat of your stomach in the 
darkness and between lines of unfamiliar barbed 
wire, equipped as were Dick and his men, and you 
wish to discover how difficult it is to make progress 
without disclosing your whereabouts, try it some 
black evening on your smooth front lawn. Then, 
w^hen you remember that these men after they had 
disappeared over the top went so silently and 
stealthily into rough and uneven No Man’s Land 
that even their comrades failed to hear them, know- 
ing the}^ were there, you can more readily appre- 
213 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


ciate the drills and practice necessary to bring sol- 
diers to such a state of perfection. 

Once outside the wire, Dick proceeded more 
rapidly along the front of his sector, the men 
spreading out in a line with short intervals between 
so that by no chance could they avoid running 
across any prowlers in their path. Every now and 
then from the lines on either side small rockets of 
varied colors would shoot into the air ; sending mes- 
sages of some sort or another. From the enemy 
lines came the rattle of machine guns far to the 
left, and occasionally the sky would glare for a 
flashing moment as the explosion of some German 
’88 back of the lines sent its iron messenger of death 
plunging through the air. 

Reaching the end of his sector, Dick now turned 
toward the enemy’s line and proceeding cautiously, 
began the passage across No Man’s Land intend- 
ing to zigzag over the distance and approach the 
enemy’s wire to see if he could pick up any infor- 
mation in that direction. The mist had perceptibly 
thickened. It was a splendid night for stalking the 
enemjT^ if any of them were out, but it was also 
equally good for any of the Boche raiders out on 
similar quest. 

Signals had previously been arranged by which 
the men could communicate their ideas to each other 
by means of certain taps on rifle butts, the sticking 
214 


U. S. MARINE 


of trench knives into the ground, certain twitchings 
of the sleeve or other parts of the clothing; for con- 
versation above a whisj)er while out in this disputed 
territory was a dangerous indulgence. 

They were progressing slowly and when about 
three hundred yards from their own vdre, high in 
the air over the German lines three balls of green 
fire followed by two of red were seen to burst 
liquidly in the heavens. The light was not bright 
enough to cause Dick any fear that he or his men 
would be detected, as might easily have been the 
case had an equal number of star shells been fired, 
but instinctively he stopped and waited for the 
slowly falling bits of color to disappear and dis- 
solve. 

There was not a sound in his vicinity. The low- 
lying mist, though but a few feet high, seemed 
heavier here, and its clinging coolness and damp- 
ness were chilling. In another moment Dick would 
have given his signal to advance, but as he was 
about to do so he heard a voice speaking, about ten 
feet away directly in his line of movement. 

“ There goes our signal, let us return. Max has 
gone back with his information, if he got any, and 
I am chilled to the bone, and tired of this kind of 
business anyway. The only way to get a line on 
those new troops is to make a big raid. This place 
has been dead for so long that I don’t believe they 
215 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

are even bothering with No Man’s Land. Come 
on ; let us go.” 

The words were in German and though not loud 
were yet clear and distinct. 

“ All right; I am ready, Franz, but it may be that 
they are recalling us anyway. They were to have 
sent up the signal after a certain time, and Max 
may still be out. Lost perhaps! Here, wake up, 
you sleepy hounds. This is no resting place. Any- 
one would believe you were on a picnic.” 

There was the sound of yawns and stirring about 
which indicated at least a half dozen men were in 
the party. 

“ Well, we have waited a full hour and as there 
has been no indication of a rumpus outside of that 
scattering fire a while back it is safe to assume 
Max has finished his work, and missing us, has re- 
turned.” 

To the young officer listening intently to this talk 
not three yards away, came many thoughts of what 
was best to do. None of the men with him under- 
stood a word of German, and it was impossible to 
tell them what had been said or to agree on any plan 
of action, because the least sound would be sure to 
be detected. He marvelled how they had succeeded 
in getting so close to the Germans without discov- 
ery, and then he recalled that a machine gun had 
been tack — tack — tacking — just a little while be- 
216 


V. S. MARINE 


fore and its noise had effectually covered the sound 
of their approach. 

Dick’s orders were to take prisoners if he could, 
but he was not to risk anything unnecessarily. 
There was no doubt about his having the ad- 
vantage in this instance, and he might take the pa- 
trol by surprise, but the ver}^ nature of their sudden 
proximity made the task a little difficult of accom- 
plishment if he wished to get them all. He knew 
his picked men were only waiting a signal from him 
to fire and make a rush. He had four men count- 
ing himself, and he believed there must be at least 
six in the enemy patrol, and one man, Max, prob- 
ably in the vicinity. He must act at once or it 
would be too late. Now was the crucial time. 

All these thoughts take long in telling, but they 
rushed through the boy’s mind the same as thought 
rushes through anyone’s mind in time of peril or of 
necessity. Yes, he would signal for firing and a 
rush. 

He reached out his hand to touch the man next 
on his left, but his searching fingers found nothing 
but emptiness and heavy mist. In front of him he 
no longer heard any sound. Possibly the foe had 
become aware of a hostile force near them. The 
silence was as of the gi*ave. Then, right at his back, 
the air seemed to shatter into a thousand bits. 
Someone had sneezed! It startled Dick so that he 
217 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

had jumped to one side before he was aware that 
he had made a movement of any kind. Now at any 
time something was bound to happen. It did. 

“Max; I say is that you, Max?” came a soft 
query in German. 

For a single second Dick hesitated and then he 
answered gruffly and in the questioner’s own 
tongue. 

“ Yes, come here, Franz, quickly.” 

He heard someone approaching, and then a dark 
form seemed to lunge before him out of the mist. 
Franz had come in answer to the call, and as he 
lumbered a step or two nearer he felt the barrel of 
a Colt .45 pressed against his stomach and a voice 
still speaking in German, saying: 

“ Not a sound ! Hands up ! ” 

But Franz was not a coward, and though taken 
by surprise he was not going to be taken prisoner 
without a fight. True, his hands went up, but in 
doing so they knocked the pistol away from his 
body and with a bound he had thrown both arms 
about Dick and the two combatants fell to the 
muddy ground, fighting for their lives. 

Then from the mist shots were fired. Dick’s men 
not knowing what had happened made their rush. 
There was the clash of steel, — the grunting of men 
fighting. A groan! A shout! Someone was run- 
ning through the muddy pools. Then in the flash of 
218 


U, S, MARINE 


the hand grenade that was thrown after the runner, 
was a glimpse of heavy leather boots, a gray-green 
uniform, and then, nothing but darkness. 

“ Hands up!” 

“ Kamerad ! Kamerad ! ” 

‘‘ Here you Heinie, come along this way or I’ll 
wring your fool neck.” 

“ Where’s the Loot’nant? ” 

Dunno!” 

But just then Dick’s voice answered in broken 
spasms of heavy breathing. 

“ Here I am ! Come on ! Hurry back with your 
prisoners. I’ve got a two-hundred-pound bear of 
my own I’m taking along as a souvenir. Careful 
now ! Don’t get lost. Our lines are this way.” 

Soon there came from the near distance a chal- 
lenge : 

Halt, who’s there? ” 

“ Lieutenant Comstock’s patrol returning with 
prisoners,” was the reply. 

And back over the top came Dick to receive the 
congratulations of the excited Tommy and the quiet 
commendation of Captain Harrison who was at the 
time on a visit of inspection from his P. C.‘ 

*Post of Command. The Headquarters of the Company Com- 
mander in the trenches. 


219 


CH-APTERXV 


TOMMY EVENS SCORES WITH MIKE 

Captain Harrison’s company, thanks to Dick 
Comstock’s successful sortie out into No Man’s 
Land, had come out of their first trial with flying 
colors, and indeed were much envied by the rest of 
the regiment. For ten days they remained in their 
assigned sector, and on the night of April ninth, 
the Second Battalion of the Fifth Regiment came 
in to relieve them. In that ten days the Germans 
had begun to find that No Man’s Land was an un- 
safe place in which to play. 

“ It sure is some relief,” declared Tommy, as, 
shortly after midnight, the battalion marched away 
to their billets at Camp Chiffoure." “ What with 
rats big enough to pick you up bodily when you’re 
not looking, and carry you away to some convenient 
shell-hole to devour you; cooties trying to crowd 
you out of your own clothes; and mud hanging to 
every part of your body like a parasitic growth, be- 
lieve me, when I say it again, — it is some relief.” 

‘‘ Always something to be thankful for, though, 

* This camp -was mostly underground. The officers lived in quar- 
ters above ground. It was not a village previous to the war as 
many rest billets were. 


220 


U. S. MARINE 


Tommy,” said Dick, splashing into a mud hole as he 
said it, and for the time being forgetting what that 
something was. 

‘‘Yes?” said Tommy, inquiringly, when the 
walking was a little better, “ and what is it? ” 

“ Well, if the dirt wasn’t so thick on us the cooties 
wouldn’t leave an3i:hing for the rats to bother 
about,” answered Dick. “ My crust of dirt and 
mud is so thick that I can almost defy the biggest 
cootie along the line to get through it.” 

“ War is great sport, just the same,” added 
Tommy, “ only I do hope that things will liven up 
some. It’s still pretty tame and sad compared with 
some of the books I read before we came over. The 
authors certainly weren’t located in any areas like 
ours. However, most of the unpleasant things are 
in evidence and of course the men grumble a lot 
about the weather in general, and clothing, food and 
pay in particular, but I don’t believe they mean 
half they say — merely do it for want of a better 
occupation.” 

“ During tKe war with Mexico,” said Dick, 
“ there was a colonel who, in writing about his men, 
said: ‘ They have been in service nine months, have 
marched two thousand miles and not a cent of pay. 
Half rations, hard marches, no pay. They curse 
their country some of the time, praise her some of 
the time, but fight for her all of the time.’ And 
221 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

you won’t find a bunch of American marines on the 
face of the earth, under the same or similar condi- 
tions, who aren’t just like those fellows way back 
in forty-seven. Nor does it stop with the marines; 
— the army and the navy are exactly the same.” 

“ I say, Dickie, some good fairy watched over 
you while you were spouting all that, for I don’t 
think you stumbled into a single mud hole. In try- 
ing to catch all you had to say I’ve nearly broken 
my neck twice, skinned my shins in a dozen places, 
and lost my tin hat once, but I believe you’re right. 
If American troops didn’t have something to growl 
and kick about they wouldn’t be happy, but they 
never will be fully content until they have had at 
least one good, rip-roaring fight with those fel- 
lows,” and in the darkness Tommy nodded over his 
shoulder to where the sound of the nightly chorus 
of shot and shell was by now well under way. 

Rest billets are so called merely because the men 
are not in the front line trenches. Outside of that 
feature the work was quite as strenuous. There 
was always something to be done in the way of 
drills, police, and so forth, and not a night passed 
that the battalion was not engaged in hours of hard 
work in building reserve trenches. By daylight 
this task was no longer possible because of the in- 
creased activity of enemy artillery under the direc- 
tion of their observers in observation planes. How- 
222 


U. S. MARINE 


ever, the men had the opportunity to get cleaned up 
a little, and though the rats and the cooties still 
stayed with them they were not so numerous 
and annoying as in the slime and ooze of the muddy 
front line trenches. They had also more oppor- 
tunities for recreation and relaxation: a welcome 
rest in dry straw most of the time, and chances to 
clean clothing and equipment, bathe and live a lit- 
tle less like savages. Truly, life in a trench is con- 
ducive to a return to the first principles of existence 
of ignorant mankind, while war is in itself a com- 
mon leveller. Ancestry, riches, education, social 
position, count for naught in internecine struggles 
of modern times unless the man in you is made a 
better fighter than your brother-in-arms. 

In rest billets there is more leisure to write let- 
ters, and every man who had anyone back home 
took advantage of this opportunity to tell of these, 
their first days in the actual conflict. Truly the 
censors were kept busy with their pencils and 
scissors in their work of deleting information which 
might prove of value to the enemy, but even so, 
many interesting stories found their way back in 
the mails to the anxious ones waiting across the 
water. The arrival of the mail was also a gladsome 
feature of the life at this time, and in Dick’s mail 
one day there came two little trinkets which he 
valued highly though their intrinsic worth was but 
223 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

a few pennies. These were the campaign badges, 
long delayed in arrival, one for his service in Haiti 
during the exciting days of 1915, and another 
which brought back vividly to his mind his part in 
the capture of Vera Cruz the previous year. These 
two badges, together with the Nicaraguan cam- 
paign badge, which he had received before leaving 



the States; his good-conduct medal, awarded him 
at the end of his first enlistment; and the expert 
rifleman’s badge he had won on the range at 
Guantanamo primarily, but had at every subse- 
quent trial renewed, and it now held a small bar 
above the crossed guns and wreath upon which 
were engraved three dates of his requalifications, 
gave him quite a prestige among the younger of- 
ficers of the regiment. 

Dick was one day engaged in preparing to send 
home to his mother the little bronzes for safe keep- 
224 


U. S. MARINE 


ing, but retained the bar upon which he now sported 
four little bits of brightly colored ribbons. 

Tommy Turner was an interested witness, as 
Dick prepared his package and penned his letter. 

“What is this supposed to be, Dick? This 
mountain on the Nicaraguan badge? ” he ques- 
tioned, meanwhile dangling the round piece of 
bronze suspended on the red and blue, red, blue and 
red silken band. 

“ Oh, that’s the volcano called Momotombo, 
which rises out of Lake Managua, near the caj)ital 
city of Managua,” said Dick, stopping his pen and 
looking up for the moment. “ Some of the natives 
claim the name should be ‘ ^lonotombo ’ meaning, 
monkey tomb, but the other is the official way of 
spelling it at the present date.” 

Tommy took up the second badge and studied it 
carefully for a while. 

“ I like this Mexican ribbon with its colors ar- 
ranged as they are; green, yellow, blue, yellow, 
green,” he finally said, “ and I suppose this build- 
ing on the obverse side is that castle or fort down 
at V era Cruz — San Juan d’Ulloa, eh? ” 

“ Uh-huh! ” gTunted Dick, hardly pausing in his 
hurried scratching. 

Again silence reigned while Tommy pored over 
the third bronze — the badge commemorating the 
Haitian Campaigii. The silk ribbon above this 
225 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


badge was blue except at the center where two nar- 
row red stripes divided it. 

“ I say, Dick, didn’t the chap who sculped this 
one make a bull? He’s got a square box sitting up 
on top of a big mountain — what’s the idea? ” 

“ If you’d ever been down to Cap Haitian, 
Tommy, you’d know that the ‘ box ’ as you call it 
is nothing more nor less than a wonderful old fort 
built by the powerful negro emperor, Christophe, 
of Haiti. It is named after him, and he built it for 
the express purpose of affording the negroes of 
Haiti a citadel of last resort in case the French 
should ever return to claim, and succeed in re- 
establishing themselves on the island. It is a won- 
derful old ruin now, but it was never used for the 
purpose for which he built it. A^ow, Tommy, if 
you interrupt me with another question before I 
finish this letter I’ll ‘ sculp ’ you — and make a good 
job of it in the bargain.” 

“ Thanks, old top, for the advance notice,” said 
Tommy, rising and sauntering toward the door. 
On turning the handle he looked back at the busy 
correspondent. 

What kind of a campaign badge do you think 
we’ll get handed to us for this war, Dick? ” he said, 
but he waited for no reply. 

Outside, he found old Mike Dorian and Top Ser- 
geant Calkins enjoying a quiet smoke. 

226 



He Threw His Body Protectingly Over the 
Old Sergeant. 


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U. S. MARINE 


“ As you were ! Carry on ! ” he ordered, when the 
two on spying him jumped to “ attention ” with the 
snappiness that is proverbial amongst marines, and 
brought their hands smartly up to their overseas 
caps, in salute. “ Go on and sit down, and con- 
tinue your pow-wow,” continued Tommy, ‘‘ and 111 
listen and see if I can’t pick up some valuable in- 
formation.” 

Old Mike’s eyes twinkled beneath his gray- 
thatched eyebrows as he watched the youngster 
make himself comfortable. “ I was a-tellin’ Jim, 
here, sir, that I don’t loike this fightin’ behind cover 
all me days. I want to be gettin’ out in the open 
and have a whack at them fellers. I’m thinkin’ 
they’d be runnin’, sir, loike a flock of quail, and this 
here business of layin’ down them barraages first, 
ought to be stopped too, sir. Them Heinies is so 
used to it by now that they alius knows what’s 
cornin’ next. I say the dope is to go over the top 
and tackle ’em tooth and nail before they know 
we’re annywhere about, and when ye’ve done that, 
then pile in yer iron to keep the spalpeens from 
attemptin’ a counter attack before yer ready.” 

“I’ll send your name in to General Pershing, as 
his future aide, by to-day’s mail, Field Marshal 
Dorian,” responded Tommy promptly, and after 
the two cronies had ceased laughing, Calkins volun- 
teered a question : 


227 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


‘‘ Do you happen to know where the word ‘ bar- 
rage ’ comes from, sir? ’’ 

“ Why, yes,’’ said Tommy. “ It’s in the diction- 
ary, and it comes originally from the French. It 
means an artificial barrier, like a toll-gate, or a 
dam, or anything of that sort. When they began 
using their artillery in throwing thousands of tons 
of steel into a certain area and cutting off parts of 
the line so that troops in the rear or at the flanks 
were unable to advance through this beaten zone, or 
curtain of death, they fastened this name on that 
particular kind of bombardment.” 

“ Speakin’ of artillery fire, sir, reminds me that 
these Huns are gettin’ the bulge on us, seems to 
me,” said Dorian, “ from all these last reports we 
keep gettin’ of the way they’re bombardin’ gay 
Paree with that Big Bertha. I hear that the mys- 
terious gun is killin’ all kinds of people back there, 
and the other day one of them big shells bursted 
in one of them cathedrals and killed anny number 
of wimmen and little kiddies. The dirty brutes, 
that they are! ” 

“ Yes, and according to the latest dope, their 
shots are being placed more accurately each day,” 
added Jim Calkins. “ The people are terrorized. 
I’d like to make a bet that the German spies in the 
city are sending back all the data of each and every 
shot, and unless the gun itself is located and de- 
228 


U. S. MARINE 


stroyed many of the wonderful buildings will soon 
be blown to atoms. This gun dropping its shells, 
their big Gothas making night bombing expedi- 
tions, and the successful drives the Boches are put- 
ting over just now, have got the French pretty well 
discouraged. There’s a rumor that the seat of gov- 
ernment is to be moved away from Paris, for they 
fear that the city will again fall prey to the enemy 
as it did in eighteen seventy. I only hope that I 
will be permitted to last long enough in this fight to 
repay some of the dastardly things these swine have 
perpetrated,” and he struck one heavy bronzed fist 
into the other to emphasize his remarks. 

“ And bedad, so do I,” said Mike, with a stiffen- 
ing of the spine. “ I niver did think much of these 
here Frinchies annyway before this war, but I’ll 
take me little hat off to them for the way they’ve 
been standin’ up in this fight. They’ve been gettin’ 
upper cuts, and blows on the solar plexus, and black 
eyes, and bloody noses, right and left, and they’ve 
been groggy ever since the first round, but they’re 
right there in the very center of the ring when the 
gong sounds, and I don’t believe them fat Heinies 
can lick ’em. No, sir, not in a million years, at 
that.” 

“ And I’m sure you’re right, Mike, for the same 
reason that I don’t believe any outfit three times 
the size of our corps can lick us,” said Tommy. 

229 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ It’s love of country, faith in God, and belief in 
ourselves, Mike — in other words it’s our little motto 
all over again, and esprit de corps — and — and Ma- 
rines, first, last and always,” and with that closing 
remark the boy left the two friends, and went to 
inspect some work being done in the constructing 
of portable wire entanglements destined for the 
front line trenches. 

“ That’s a nice young lad,” remarked Dorian as 
Tommy’s back disappeared behind a near-by 
building, “ and he’s a plucky little cuss, too, be- 
gorra ! ” 

“ He’s all right,” answered Jim, “ the kind any 
man would willingly give his life for — same as for 
Dick Comstock. The boy’s just slathering for a 
real fight though. Says he wants to make sure he 
ain’t going to be afraid and lose his nerve at the last 
minute. It really seems to worry him a lot.” 

“ I’m thinkin’ he’ll be far from losin’ of his nerve, 
Jim. It’s more’n likely that when the time comes 
he’ll be so crazy to get into the middle of the ring 
that he’ll overdo it and be losing his life instead. 
Ye know that’s the reason for a lot of casualties in 
this fightin’. The attackin’ outfit goes follerin’ up 
them barraages and gits so blamed enthusiastic that 
they goes a-leanin’ up against it the same as if it 
was a toll-gate for sure, and then the bloomin’ thing 
falls on ’em and puts ’em down and out. Ye see, 
230 


C7. S. MARINE 


Jim, in oiDen warfare ye kin advance just as fast as 
ye kin clean ’em out and mop ’em up, and to thun- 
der with the big guns, but this trinch fightin’ means 
walkin’ at a snail’s pace and follerin’ up the bar- 
raage as it moves furred ahead of ye; and from all 
I kin hear it’s hearrt-breakin’ wurruk, and even the 
oldest campaigner gets a feelin’ of wantin’ to turrn 
tail and beat it for cover.” 

With his last words, Mike knocked the dead ashes 
from his pipe and started to rise. At the same in- 
stant a terrific explosion rent the air, and with it 
came the crash of broken windows, falling bits of 
walls, and flying pieces of ruptured steel. Top 
Sergeant Jim Calkins, also in the act of getting to 
his feet, was knocked over backwards, and Dorian 
was thrown forcibly to his knees, head downwards, 
his body outstretched with arms flung forward in 
the attitude of a Moslem devotee on his little rug 
far out in the desert, at his evening prayers. 

It took Calkins but a second or two to regain his 
feet, and now the sound of crashing shells was to be 
heard on all sides. Claxon horns sounded the signal 
for the gas alarm. Someone had quickly discovered 
that these shells were filled with the deadly fumes. 
The dust, and dirt, and smoke rose everywhere, fill- 
ing the street with an almost impenetrable cloud. 
From overhead, even above the deafening roar of 
the explosions, could be heard the whirring of air- 
231 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


craft, and now came the sharp staccato of the anti- 
aircraft guns, swelling the general uproar. 

With the expertness of practical experience and 
unvarying habit of the past few months, at the 
sound of the alarm, Calkins first adjusted his gas 
mask, holding his breath meanwhile. His head was 
still going around and around from the effects of 
his sudden upsetting, but beyond that he was unin- 
jured. As he took a step forward in order to return 
to his company quarters, which in this camp were 
mostly underground, and look after his men, he 
stumbled over Dorian’s inanimate form and for the 
first time became aware of his friend’s plight. 
Bending quickly he raised up the old sergeant so as 
to get a look at his face. Over the temple of the 
veteran was a sharp gash where either a piece of 
shell had struck him or else was caused by his head 
striking the stones of the pavement, and as Jim 
moved the body backwards it crumpled into a seem- 
ingly lifeless heap at his feet once more. 

Lieutenant Tommy Turner, already protected 
by his mask, turned the corner of the building, and 
fairly ran into Sergeant Jim as he was bending 
over the prostrate Dorian. It is impossible to talk 
while the head and face is covered with the stifling 
mask, but Tommy saw and understood the situation 
at once. 

Again came the crashing and deafening roar of 
232 


Z7. S. MARINE 


a shell which struck but a few yards away, and in 
its explosion digging a deep crater in the center of 
the road. Unhesitatingly the young officer threw 
his strong, lithe body protectingly over that of the 
old sergeant, covering the blood-stained face and 
form of his friend as best he could from the death- 
dealing missiles which came dashing, crashing about 
the trio. With the subsidence of the flying parti- 
cles he was again on his feet, and with a remarkable 
exhibition of strength and skill, had placed Mike on 
his shoulder, and was struggling on down the street 
toward the dressing station located near by. 

It was not far, but twice during his struggle the 
plucky boy was thrown down with his burden, and 
not until he had heard the surgeon’s verdict that 
Mike had merely been knocked insensible by the 
blow on the forehead, did he discover that in his 
own back were two jagged cuts where pieces of 
steel had penetrated and caused flesh wounds need- 
ing immediate attention. Nor did he know until 
some hours later that with the explosion of the shell 
at the time he covered Mike Dorian’s body with his 
own. First Sergeant James Calkins’s own life 
was snuffed out, as he in turn tried to protect both 
IMike and Tommy from the same storm of frag- 
ments, and that before Calkins passed away he told 
the story of Tommy’s rescue of Dorian which 
won for the lad at a later date a citation and the 

233 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

French Croix de Guerre, with one bronze star on its 
ribbon. 

Even while the surgeons 
were working over the casual- 
ties the bombardment ceased 
as suddenly as it had begun. 
The whirr of aeroplanes was 
hushed and with the exception 
of the far-away thunder of the 
guns along the lines the “ rest 
billets ” resumed their normal 
status once more. 

Stomach down on the oper- 
ating table lay Tommy Tur- 
ner, while the probing of the 
surgeon’s forceps went on in 
the search of stray pieces of steel in his back. A 
cheerful grin lighted his face in spite of his pre- 
dicament, for close beside him was old Mike Dorian, 
a bandage round his head and the remains of his 
now broken pipe still between his teeth. 

“ Begorra, Loot’nant, I can’t be thankin’ ye 
enuff, sir, for what ye did,” Mike was saying. 

“ Then don’t try, Mike,” grinned Tommy. 
“ Anyway I guess we’re about even now for that 
time you fished me out of Long Island Sound some 
years back. But it’s lucky for you that you were 
completely knocked out or you might have been 

234 



U, S. MARINE 


breathing some of their infernal gas, so you see I 
didn’t save you entirely. You still have something 
on the credit side.” 

“ I’ll be tellin’ ye of a secret, sir,” said Mike, 
bending low, and whispering in Tommy’s ear. 
“Ye kin take all the credit, sir, for as it happens 
I’d forgot me old mask, and when I discovered it 
I was too lazy to go back to me billet for the 
bloomin’ thing, but I’ll not be forgettin’ of it again, 
Misther Tommy.” 


235 


CHAPTER XVI 


DICK GOES TO PAKIS 

Up to the time of the death of Sergeant Calkins 
the war and its effects had rested but lightly on the 
young shoulders of Tommy Turner. On Dick 
Comstock the seriousness of hostile encounter be- 
tween armed human beings was more impressed; 
having gone through numerous campaigns, and ex- 
perienced many thrilling episodes in his life in the 
Marine Corps; also being older by a few years, 
Dick knew the sad as well as the bright side of it all. 

Although Tommy had seen wounded men, had 
witnessed military funerals, and viewed the graves 
of thousands of brave men where 

. . ilfie poppies blow 
Between the crosses, row on row,^* 

none of these victims of the Great War had been his 
personal nor intimate friends. In the death of 
First Sergeant Calkins the seriousness and intent of 
this mighty struggle was forced upon him. It 
added a new quality to the boy’s make-up ; a sterner, 
harder quality. It was the tempering of the steel 
which had ever been in him but which so far had 
not been made adamantean. 

236 


C7. S. MARINE 


To Tommy now came the reason for his presence 
here in France; and as the three rifle- volleys rang 
out over the grave of this friend, who through per- 
sonal sacrifice had in all probability saved his life 
and the life of Dorian; and as the last clear note 
of the bugle sounding “ Taps ’’ reverberated over 
the little peaceful valley, he repeated the words 
which since the day before had been running 
through his mind: 

**Take up our quarrel with the foe, 

To you from falling hands we throw 
The Torch — Be yours to hold it high; 

If ye 'break faith with us who die, 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 
In Flanders Fields,** 

Then before turning to wend his way sadly back 
to camp, and while yet the salty tears streamed 
down his cheeks the boy’s lips moved again: 

“ We shall hold high the ‘ Torch,’ Jim, and sweet 
shall be your sleep amidst the ‘ poppies,’ dear old 
friend.” 

Tommy had insisted on attending the funeral, 
and the surgeon believed it would be better for him 
to go even though the wounds he had sustained 
needed careful attention, rather than have him ex- 
cite himself because of restraint under medical care ; 
but afterward, the strain of the day having passed, 

237 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

came reaction, and the boy gladly returned to be 
looked after by the man of medicine. 

Dick, sitting by his cot and talking to him that 
evening, was surprised to receive an order to report 
at once to the Regimental Commander. 

“ I have orders here for you to report at Head- 
quarters in Paris for special duty. It will leave 
Captain Harrison up against it for officers now that 
Lieutenant Turner is on the sick list, but these or- 
ders are imperative and immediate. You will leave 
at once. I hope, however, that your duties won’t 
take you from us for long. We cannot afford to 
lose our officers at this stage of the game — espe- 
cially officers of your ability,” and the colonel 
scowled at the telegram before him. 

“ The necessary endorsements are all j^repared 
for Captain Harrison’s signature so that you need 
not be delayed,” he continued, “ and whatever this 
duty is, sir, I wish j^ou luck, and a speedy return 
to your regiment.” 

Dick grasped the firm hand thrust toward him, 
received the orders, saluted, and with an appropri- 
ate expression of thanks for the colonel’s kind 
words, departed on his way. 

The journey to Paris was uneventful. The 
country through which the young man passed was 
but slightly touched by the devastating hand of 
war, but everywhere, if one looked for them, could 
238 


V. S. MARINE 


be found evidences of the struggle. Arriving in 
Paris he soon found his way to Headquarters. 
Here an aide took him in tow and with an expedi- 
tiousness born of practice and system, within five 
minutes had endorsed his orders and directed him to 
further report to the Chief of Intelligence. In the 
office of this latter official Dick found his friend 
Frank Richards. 

“Hello, Dick!” exclaimed Frank, coming for- 
ward to greet him. “ I have been expecting you 
all the morning. I am responsible for getting you 
back here, and I hope you won’t feel sore at me 
because I have taken you out of the firing line for 
a time.” 

“Don’t worry!” replied Dick, warmly. “I 
don’t anticipate this scrap is going to be decided 
before I’ll get ‘ me whack at thim fellers,’ as our 
old friend Dorian would say, and I’m sure glad of 
the opportunity to see a bit of Paris again. I didn’t 
get up here from St. Nazaire, but I imagine the 
city’s about the same as when I was here as a 
youngster. But what’s the dope, Frank? Whj’^ am 
I here? ” 

“ Go on in and report to the Chief,” replied 
Richards. “ He’ll order you to report to me, and 
then we’ll go to my quarters where I can tell you 
everything.” 

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at Richards’ 

239 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

quarters, and Dick was soon enjoying the luxury 
of a real bath. He had previously importuned 
Frank to tell him what was the cause of this sudden 
transition from the discomforts of the front to the 
luxury of Paris, but to no avail. 

“ Get cleaned up, and get your tummy filled with 
real food first, Dick, and then I’ll promise you that 
we will have enough time to talk and also plenty to 
do after our talk.” 

Never did food taste as good as it did to Dick 
that night, and he could hardly bring himself to 
the realization as he gazed about the well appointed 
restaurant which Richards had chosen that grim 
war was in the land; that the foe was even then 
driving a dangerous wedge into the line of resist- 
ance where the Allies were vainly endeavoring to 
stem the fatal tide; that each passing hour the 
French were slowly but surely giving way before 
the powerful host; that hundreds upon hundreds of 
families were deserting the beautiful city with fear 
and trembling; that already the President and his 
official family were prepared to move the govern- 
mental offices further south; that from a hitherto 
undreamed of distance great guns were daily hurl- 
ing tons of steel into the very heart of the metropo- 
lis. Here was little to indicate all this. Bright 
lights, immaculate uniforms, well-goAvned women, 
— gaiety; sparkling, bubbling, spontaneous. 

240 


C7. S. MARINE 


Yet on closer inspection there was to be found 
proof of the other, the more serious side. Here and 
there were blesses^ or the black badge of mourning, 
the anxious eyes, the harried glance, the worried 
look, the air of expectant uncertainty. 

“ Now, Dick, answer a few questions first with- 
out asking any, then I’ll tell you my story, and then 
will come your turn,” said Richards, after they were 
back in his comfortable rooms. “ First tell me ex- 
actly what your sister has written you and when 
you last heard from her. You see I know from the 
Faures that you have heard at least once.” 

Thereupon Dick told him of the one very much 
delayed letter he had received from Ursula. 

“ Nothing more? ” questioned Frank. 

“ No, nothing. I’ve tried not to think too much 
of the matter,” said Dick, “ hoping each day to hear 
something more definite, and trying to believe that 
‘ no news was good news.’ Naturally, it has wor- 
ried me a lot.” 

“ First then, let me tell you that your sister is 
probably well and in no danger. Next that both 
she and Miss Faure are together but they are virtu- 
ally prisoners in the enemies’ hands.” 

“ Prisoners? In the hands of the Germans? 
How did such a thing happen? ” Dick had jumped 
to his feet and fairly roared the words. 

^ Wounded. 

241 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ Now, wait a minute, old man,” cautioned 
Richards. “ You were not to ask questions until 
after I am through. Sit down and listen.” 

Then Richards went over in detail all which had 
occurred since the day of Dick’s departure from St. 
Nazaire. 

“ Probably the same day the girls wrote their 
letters,” he continued, “ the woman Ninon also 
wrote to me her second letter. But she believed 
that the person who had delivered the first letter 
from her had been seen by me and that I would get 
from him the news of her whereabouts. She like- 
wise told me that she would be able to send me 
letters with more or less regularity. Unfortunately 
I was not in when the poilu brought her previous 
note, as I’ve told you, and the second letter came 
through the regular mails. On losing the trail of 
the big car that first night, my friend Mason re- 
turned to his camp, and I came directly to Paris 
and waited. In the meantime I wrote you the let- 
ter which you failed to receive, and perhaps it was 
best that you did not get it. The date of Ninon’s 
second letter was the day following the abduction, 
but I did not receive it for a fortnight. In 
the interim I had not been idle. I followed up 
every clue but made no progress. I went back 
over the ground from St. Nazaire to the place 
where Mason and I lost track of von Etten’s car 
242 


17. S. MARINE 

and using that point as a center I scoured the 
country. 

“ Believing as I did that the two girls were in no 
danger with Ninon near at hand to help them I pre- 
ferred not to call in the aid of the French authori- 
ties because of the delicate mission upon which I am 
working. I couldn’t afford to allow the French to 
take von Etten and get those papers. It was far 
more safe to let him retain them for the present. I 
was fully convinced he had not left France because 
of the information Ninon had given me, and if she 
had used a little more forethought and told me 
where she and the girls were located they would not 
only have been freed by now, but von Etten would 
have been in prison, and the papers safe in my cus- 
tody. 

“ One week ago I happened to be present in a 
part of the city where the shells from that long- 
range gun of the Germans were falling. During 
the alarm I took refuge in one of the Metro sta- 
tions near by, and later when we were allowed to go 
about our business I walked out with a wounded 
poilu with whom I had been conversing. He was 
on his way home, and for some reason — perhaps in- 
tuition, I don’t know — or because I liked the young 
fellow, I asked him to dine with me. During the 
meal he told me of his former life, and of how the 
war, desj)ite its horrors and sorrows, had given him 

243 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

a new outlook, broadened his mind, as it were. He 
was in hopes that with his experience gained in the 
strife he might better his former condition. He was 
the son of a charcoal burner and lived about twenty 
or thirty kilometers from Paris. His home was on 
the edge of an estate owned by a Count Marin, and 
it was his desire to secure service with the Count as 
chauffeur, which trade he had learned during his 
four years’ duty with the colors. 

“ His present disability would prevent his 
further fighting, but he was optimistic as to the final 
outcome of the war. I encouraged him to talk. He 
told me of the old Count and his two daughters, 
both of whom were weak-minded, probably imbe- 
ciles, and how during his last leave the Count was 
about to return to his chateau after a prolonged 
absence. It appears that the old nobleman had 
taken his daughters, several years ago, to a famous 
surgeon in Italy, hoping to restore them to normal 
health, but the venture had proved a failure. A 
few days before Marc, — that was the soldier’s 
name — departed from his home for the front. Count 
Marin had sent a retinue of servants to prepare the 
place for his reception, and from letters Marc had 
since received he learned that he had returned 
bringing his daughters with him. Everyone in the 
neighborhood was talking of the queer actions of 
the old man. He refused absolutely to see any of 
"244 


17. S. MARINE 

his former associates, and maintained a regular 
army of men about his place to prevent strangers 
from entering the grounds. However, Marc was in 
hopes of securing employment, as he had also heard 
that only old men, too old for service, or discharged 
soldiers were taken into the Count’s household. I 
hope you find this interesting, Dick? ” 

“ Yes, because I believe that you are going into 
all this detail for a purpose,” Dick replied. “ I 
suppose it must have to do with my orders here.” 

“ You’re right,” continued Richards. “ Now, 
I’ll go on. On leaving Marc that evening I gave 
him my card which he tucked away without glanc- 
ing at it. Though I liked the boy, for he was little 
more than that, I never expected to hear from him 
again, so imagine my surprise, when two days ago 
I received a call from him. I found him quite ex- 
cited, and his first words prepared me a little for 
what was to follow. ‘ Why, Monsieur,’ he ex- 
claimed, ‘ this is the very hotel where I delivered a 
letter last January from Count Marin’s house- 
keeper, and now I recall you are the person to 
whom it was addressed. Did you receive it safely? ’ 
He looked at me quizzically as he spoke, as though 
not quite sure of his ground, for he was without 
doubt much fussed over his discovery. ‘ Yes,’ I re- 
plied, ‘ and could I have seen you at the time it 
would have saved me much trouble and worry. 

245 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

Perhaps even now you can be of help to me.’ He 
waited a moment and then said: ‘ Very gladly, but 
as we may be some time conversing, I had best 
attend to some important business first.’ There- 
upon we agreed to meet within half an hour’s time. 
That was the last I saw of Marc, but a half hour 
later a gendarme arrested me and I was taken to 
the prefecture de police charged with being a 
German siDy. Without difficulty I succeeded in es- 
tablishing my identity, and on inquiry as to who had 
informed against me I was told that a wounded 
poilu had lodged the complaint. When I asked 
where the man was, I was told he had died almost 
immediately after he had stated that I was a spy. 

“ It seems that it was none other than Marc, him- 
self; that he had overtaxed his strength in hurrying 
to make his report, and the excitement and strain 
had caused his old wound to reopen. Internal 
bleeding resulted, followed by hemorrhage and al- 
most instant death. The police, however, were tak- 
ing no chances, and arrested me as a suspect. In 
France, you know, everyone is guilty until proved 
innocent. Before returning to my hotel I suc- 
ceeded in getting you ordered to Paris, and then I 
spent the rest of the night in trying to solve the 
problem which confronted me, and now, Dick,” said 
Richards looking at his watch, “ I hope you are 
prepared for some lively action. We start within 
246 


C7. S, MARINE 


a half hour. In the next room you will find ‘ cit ^ 
clothes which will fit you. It’s all right, son, you’re 
under my orders, so go ahead and shift into them, 
and I too will make a change.” 

“ But hold on a minute, Frank, I don’t quite yet 
get the drift of all this,” said Dick, wonderingly. 

“ In a nutshell then,” Richards replied, “ it was 
Marc who delivered Ninon’s note to me. He had 
thought her to be Count Marin’s housekeej)er. 
Count Marin was expected back with his two 
daughters last January. On returning to his home 
Marc discovered something wrong. He probably 
found out the Chateau Marin was a rendezvous for 
German spies, with von Etten at their head. No 
one knows just what he did discover — that is, the 
police here do not — but anyway, on coming to Paris 
he sought me out, possibly to ask my advice, and 
to his consternation remembered it was to me he had 
delivered the letter from one of these supposed 
enemies. Hurrying away to report me, before I 
should suspect anything, he became a victim of his 
own excitement, and before he got further than de- 
nouncing me he died, poor chap.” 

“ I see it all now,” exclaimed Dick, eagerly. 
“ Ursula and Marie are in the chateau — prisoners.” 

“ Yes, and von Etten is there too, and also the 
secret papers, and we are going to get them,” added 
Richards, his voice ringing with assurance. 

247 


CHAPTER XVII 

NINON^S DISCOVERY 

“ Ursula^ I am beginning to wonder if Ninon is 
telling us the truth or not? We have been confined 
in this place for over three months now, and are no 
nearer getting out of the chateau than we were the 
very first night of our arrival. I don’t know what 
we would have done if we hadn’t been allowed to get 
some exercise by walking around the gallery each 
day during certain hours. It has been a life saver. 
Tell me honestly, what do you think of it all?” 
Marie paused and looked at Ursula, whose tall fig- 
ure in one of the window embrasures seemed to have 
lost some of its glow and vitality. 

Ursula turned from the window and going to- 
ward the fireplace, stood there gazing into the 
white ash and glowing embers. 

“ Somehow I cannot bring myself to believe 
Ninon is not dealing fairly. Her words, her looks, 
her many little kindnesses, all seem to ring true 
when she is present. On the other hand, when she 
is away, a feeling of doubt often enters my mind. 
I’ve avoided speaking of it for fear of doing her an 
injustice and destroying your hopes.” 

248 


V. S. MARINE 


“ Well, dear, we’ve been deceiving each other 
then, and now we might as well go over the whole 
thing and make up our minds to do something. 
Mother and Father must be wild with anxiety, for 
if my fears are true, they have received no word at 
all from us, and think how Dick and your parents 
back in the States are worrying over you. Why, 
they must be nearly insane! ” 

With a movement full of grace the older girl 
sank to the rug, and, sitting there cross-legged with 
her elbows resting on her knees and her round chin 
cupped between her two hands, she continued her 
steady gazing into the fire. 

Supposing Ninon is what we first believed her, 
a tool of this man. Colonel von Etten,” went on 
Marie, as she seated herself beside Ursula on the 
rug, “if we look at it from that angle, we can see 
things in a different light. By allaying our fears 
and suspicions, she made her task very easy, for she 
got us to believe she was our friend, and by her 
promises made us easy to handle — passive to her 
will. I don’t mean to say she would wish us any 
bodily harm. I don’t believe she would permit any 
such thing if it were attempted in her presence, but 
beyond that she doesn’t care. Being a good actress 
she has deceived us from the beginning. When she 
learned that we knew what von Etten said to her in 
the hall the night we arrived she made up a very 
249 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


interesting and highlj^' probable stoiy, and finding 
us willing to help her by remaining here like two 
docile, namby-pamby little lambs, she again ‘ put 
one over on us,’ as the boys back home would say.” 

“ Why did she act as she did about the pistol, 
then? ” inquired Ursula. 

“ More camouflage! What good could we ever 
accomplish with that little toy of a weapon, espe- 
cially when they know we have it? ” 

“ It’s not such a toy, Marie, as you think,” and 
Ursula, taking the little Colt’s from her waist, 
where she nearly always carried it concealed, held it 
in her hand, while the other girl, bending over, 
looked at it attentively. 

“ Have you ever fired a pistol? ” she finally in- 
quired. 

“As a sister of Dick Comstock, I couldn’t have 
avoided it, Marie. Dick taught me how to handle 
not only a revolver, but a shotgun, and also how to 
box a little, and I’ve really bettered him with the 
foils,” came the reply. 

“And do you know how that automatic works? ” 

“ Indeed I do. You see, it’s made in the same 
way as the pistols the Marines carry— the Colt’s 
.45. I have often shot with them, but they are too 
big and clumsy for a woman to carry around with 
her, and that is why Dick gave me this smaller one. 
See; it shoots seven shots, all contained in this 
250 


V. S. MARINE 


magazine carried in the handle. By pressing this 
spring, the magazine is ejected.” 

Ursula pressed the spring while speaking and out 
popped the magazine. Both girls stared at it with 
unbelieving eyes. It was absolutely empty. With 



The Automatic Pistol, caliber .45 issued to the Marines. The 
pistol Dick gave to Ursula was much smaller than this. By 
pressing on the magazine clutch the magazine flies out — down- 
ward, being encased in the handle to the pistol. 

a cry of consternation Ursula picked up the case to 
convince herself that her first look at it had not de- 
ceived her. Had she been carrying this unloaded 
weapon about with her all these weeks fully believ- 
ing it was loaded and ready to act in her defense 
when called upon? 


251 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

She knew that it was filled when she left St. 
Nazaire, and as she had never emptied it, who could 
have done so? Well, the fault was easily remedied, 
and going to her suitcase, followed closely by 
Marie, she opened it and her anxious fingers closed 
over the box supposed to contain the extra car- 
tridges. The moment her hand touched it she knew 
that it too was empty. 

“ They’re gone! ” Ursula almost whispered the 
words. 

On two or three occasions while the girls tramped 
around and around the beautifully railed gallery, 
Ursula had unthinkingly left her pistol under the 
pillow of her bed. It must have been during one of 
these careless lapses that the cartridges were taken, 
and she said as much to Marie. 

“ Yes, and Ninon was the only person allowed in 
the room. Now I know she is against us and has 
been all along,” exclaimed Marie, her eyes flashing 
in anger at the deception of which she believed the 
woman was guilty. “ What are we to do? ” 

“ Marie,” said Ursula, bravely, “ I still believe in 
Ninon. She may be as ignorant of this as we were 
up to a moment ago. You forget there have been 
many times while we were taking our exercise that 
the man, Wilhelm, has brought uj) wood for the 
fire, and it would be possible for him to commit the 
deed.” 


252 


U, S. MARINE 


“ I don't see how you can doubt but that she is 
the one, Ursula. Think how long we have been 
here, and though she asserted she was working for 
Richards, what has she done to prove it? We don’t 
even know that our first letters were sent. Just her 
word and nothing more. And if our other letters 
went through. Father surely would have found 
some means of getting to us. Furthermore, if 
Frank Richards is so anxious to get hold of von 
Etten, he certainly has had plenty of time. Ninon’s 
tale about being stopped from going about the 
grounds, and how on the third time she went to meet 
little Pierre in the summer-house he didn’t arrive, 
but she found von Etten there instead, doesn’t 
sound true to me. In the meantime, this von Et- 
ten, if that is his name, lives on here, has wild dinner 
parties, sends his pigeons off with messages to the 
enemy, and if Ninon spoke truthfully those same 
pigeons are telling the Boche gunners where to fire 
their shots into Paris. Why doesn’t he let us go? 
Is it he now fears that we would give away the fact 
that he is here and his spies are forever coming and 
going with their information? That, of course, 
must be the reason, and the only one.” 

“All you say is true enough on the face of it, 
but ” 

“ Let us not have any ‘ buts,’ Ursula. I don’t 
remember ever seeing you so lethargic. Let us go 

253 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

ahead and act on our own initiative. Let us make 
our escape if we can do so. Our belief in Ninon 
has prevented us from thinking of doing so. Her 
statements, and the thought that we were helping 
as she claimed we were, have made us lose all our 
energy. We have never discussed plans, but I’m 
positive that we have as much brains as these Ger- 
man jailers of ours. I’m tired of being cooped up 
here like a — like a — I-don’t-know-what. Are you 
willing to make the attempt, Ursula? ” 

Ursula sighed. “ I am tired of it too, Marie; 
still, I believe honestly and truly in Ninon, and that 
she, too, is a prisoner in this house the same as are 
we, and that she would give a great deal could she 
but get away or even get word to her friends out- 
side.” 

“ Well, if that is so, then I propose this. As a 
prisoner she can do nothing toward getting word to 
Richards nor securing the papers which he wants. 
That is one point. The second point is, if she hasn’t 
been honest with us, then, of course, she is against 
us. In view of those two points, with a chance of 
either one being true, it is to our interest to go to 
work without her knowledge of our intentions. 
You believe one way; I the other. So let us steer 
the middle course. Let us continue to make Ninon 
believe that we believe in her, but at the same time 
put our wits at work in hatching up some way of 

254 


U. S. MARINE 


getting our release from this awful place. I tell 
you, Ursula, if we stay here much longer. I’ll be 
worse than Count Marin’s daughters ever were.” 

“ I see, Marie, and I’m willing to go ahead. 
About Ninon; if we took my belief as true and told 
her, she would try and argue us out of it on the 
same grounds as always ; but if she has been deceiv- 
ing us she would frustrate our attempt by inform- 
ing against us providing we proved obdurate. 
Well, I’m willing to do what we may and in our 
own way,” and Ursula arose with an air of finality, 
and now her figure seemed to be imbued with the 
old-time spirit. 

“Are you going to tell her about the theft of the 
ammunition? ” 

“No, I believe if we are going to work this thing 
out along the lines we have stated that our best plan 
is to keep all knowledge we gain either way entirely 
to ourselves. At the same time we must not change 
our attitude toward her in the least little bit, for if 
she is against us our change in manner would arouse 
her suspicions and put her on guard at once.” 

“ Oh! How I wish Dick was here,” sighed 
Marie. “ I’m sure he could get us out of here in a 
jiffy, find the papers and arrest all these spies, and 
everything. He’s so wonderful! ” 

“ I wish it too with all my heart,” agreed Dick’s 
sister. 


255 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


The girls were now standing near one of the win- 
dows looking out into the thick branches of the 
woods surrounding the chateau. Already the buds 
on the trees were feeling the effects of the warm 
spring air, and where before they used to obtain 
long vistas of bare limbs of trees, the tiny innumer- 
able sprouts of coming leaves were now beginning 
to shut them in and cut off their view. 

“ If Ninon has told us truthfully,” said Ursula, 
“ we will have difficulty in getting away even 
though we succeeded in escaping from the building. 
Two men, as we know, are always close to the cha- 
teau, and she says every approach is guarded. 
Even the dense woods are watched over by armed 
men day and night. It would be an easy matter to 
get lost on the estate, and if we once got outside we 
couldn’t afford to lose time in choosing our direc- 
tion. They could catch us easily.” 

“ Even if they did catch us, we’d have the satis- 
faction of having made the trial,” said Marie, with 
spirit, “ and that is better than sitting here day after 
day, twiddling our thumbs over nothing.” 

Ursula turned away and went to the door leading 
to the bath. 

“ Ninon never fails to lock our door when we are 
in the room, but I think I can overcome that,” she 
said, as she removed the key from the door. “ The 
other day I got a good look at Ninon’s ke}^ and 
256 


V, S. MARINE 


later I comj)ared this one with the picture I held of 
it in my memory. Something came up to interrupt 
and I have never tried out my susj)icion. I’ll do it 
now.” She inserted the key into the lock of the hall 
door, and then twisted it. The next moment when 
the door to the hall swung open, she looked around 
at Marie exultingly, and whisjiered: 

“Marie! It fits, and unlocks the door, as you 
see.” 

“ Yes, yes, but close it quickly, before we are dis- 
covered,” panted Marie, her face alive with excite- 
ment over the discovery. “ Oh, Ursula, how fortu- 
nate we are ! Hide it behind a picture or under the 
rug. Don’t put it back where it was.” 

“ No, it is better to replace it,” argued Ursula. 
“If it has gone this long without being noticed, 
there is little likelihood that anyone is going to find 
it out at this late day, and should we remove it, its 
absence might be noticed, and that would cause sus- 
picion at once.” 

“ I wonder if we could get away to-night? ” 

“ Don’t let us get carried away too much by our 
first success,” cautioned Ursula. “ We must not 
be too hasty. A day or two makes but little differ- 
ence in the end, but a day or two less of preparation 
might mean the end of our hopes. I have another 
idea which just came to me. We have not the 
slightest notion how near Paris we are, nor in what 
257 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


direction the nearest roads lie. We must know that 
before we go further. Ninon was blindfolded when 
she was brought here, so she told us, and has no 
recollection of the direction she took when they left 
Paris. Now, all these old families have generally 
several interesting volumes written up about the 
deeds of the illustrious members of their houses, and 
doubtless such a book is down in that wonderful 
library of Count Marin’s. We must get Ninon to 
bring it to us if it is there, and we may be able to 
get some idea from it as to where the chateau is lo- 
cated. It might even be possible that there would 
be a map of the estate, because it is a very old place, 
and Count Marin’s family is probably very old, 
too.” 

“ Good,” agreed Marie, “ we will ask her to-day.” 

That afternoon Ursula broached the subject to 
Ninon, and she agreed to look for the books which 
Ursula had requested, on the occasion of her usual 
morning inspection of the library to see if the room 
had been placed in order following the cleaning by 
the servants. 

‘‘ Incidentally, I have never touched a book on 
the library shelves,” said Ninon. “ Colonel von 
Etten has forbidden the entire household to disturb 
anything there. He claims that in leasing the es- 
tate, one of the stipulations in the agreement is to 
the effect that this library is not to be used — or, at 
258 


U. S. MARINE 


least, none of the volumes are to be removed. 
Count Marin is inordinately proud of his bibli- 
otheca. Every volume there is beautifully bound 
in leather and the whole room is lined with old 
tomes which represent a fortune in themselves. 
Why do you want such dry and uninteresting read- 
ing? ” 

“ Where did you get all the reading matter which 
you have brought up to us, Ninon? ” questioned 
Marie, suspicion lurking in her tone which Ursula 
was quick to note and frown down behind Ninon’s 
back. 

“ There is another place where modern fiction 
and cheaply bound editions are kept,” replied 
Ninon. 

It was early the following day when the girls 
heard a key turning in the lock of their door, and 
Ninon entered, her face pale with suppressed ex- 
citement and her black eyes eager with news. 

Shutting the door hurriedly behind her, she stood 
with her back against it, her arms flung across the 
panels with fingers outspread. 

‘‘ Girls ! I have found the papers ! ” 

Her words came to Marie and Ursula in a tragic- 
ally hoarse whisper. They stared at her in amaze- 
ment. 

“What! The secret papers! You have found 
them? Where are they? ” 

259 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“Hush! Not so loud! I’m frightened nearly 
sick! ” said Ninon, her voice barely audible. “ This 
morning I went to the library and looked for the 
volumes you wished me to find for you. In a 
bound catalogTie lying on the desk I looked up the 
history of the family, and having secured the shelf 
number, I went directly to the place and found sev- 
eral books. As you wanted the more modern his- 
tory, I picked out one of the books to run through 
its pages and see if it was all right. You see, if I 
took more than one book away I knew I could not 
fill the space with the remaining books so that it 
would escape detection, and therefore I wanted to 
make no mistake. Colonel von Etten is a close ob- 
server, and in view of his prohibition, I did not want 
to take any chances. On removing the book a 
paper fell from in back of it into the space where 
the book had rested. I thought nothing of it, but 
in trying to replace the book it was necessary to 
move the paper. I then discovered more papers 
stowed at the back of the shelf. I glanced at the 
one in my hand. It was a paper upon which was 
the great seal of the United States. Then all of a 
sudden it came to me. In my hand was the valu- 
able document for which I had been sent in search. 
The papers your Monsieur Richards had come to 
France to recover. With the knowledge I began 
to shake and tremble as if I had the agTie. I heard 
260 


U. S. MARINE 


a door close in the hallway. It came from the gal- 
lery above, and then I heard von Etten’s footfalls 
descending the stairway. I was by now so over- 
come I could scarcely replace the papers and the 
book. How I ever succeeded I can never tell you. 
But, thank God, I did, and by the time von Etten 
entered the room I was on my hands and knees be- 
fore the fireplace ostensibly brushing away some 
cinders left there by the careless servants.’’ 

“Yes, go on, Ninon! Did he notice anything 
wrong? ” whispered Ursula. 

“ No. He told me to get out of the room, and 
that he did not wish to be disturbed. My legs al- 
most refused to carry me. I did manage to go 
finally. I heard him close and lock the door. I 
listened. He went immediately to the side of the 
room where I had been but a moment before, and 
then came back to his desk. I heard him say aloud 
that in a little while more he would solve the secret. 
He must have referred to the secret of the code in 
which the document is written. I waited to hear 
nothing more, but came directly to you.” 

There was not the slightest doubt of the woman’s 
veracity, and even the suspicious Marie believed her 
story. 

“ What are you going to do, Ninon? ” 

“ I don’t know! I don’t know! ” murmured the 
“ I have told you that I am as much a 
261 


woman. 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


prisoner as you. I think that von Etten’s men in- 
tercepted little Pierre that second week you were 
here and took from him the letters I had given him. 
Although your letters were carefully worded, and 
gave no information in them, the fact that I was 
acting as a go-between stopped my freedom. I 
must go and attend to my work now, but will return 
as soon as possible, and we must find some way to 
inform Monsieur Richards. While I am gone see 
if you can think of any plan. Three heads are bet- 
ter than one, and now that I am able to place my 
hands on these valuable papers I cannot rest until 
my mission has been accomplished. We simply 
must do it. You for your United States, I for 
France, all of us for the sake of the peace of the 
world.” 

So great was the information imparted to them 
that the moments passed quickly, but neither Ur- 
sula nor Marie was able to solve the question, and 
waited impatiently for Ninon’s return when the 
three of them could go over the facts in the case. 
They no longer doubted her loyalty, and they were 
anxious now to tell her about the incident of the 
stolen ammunition. 

At noon the door opened, but instead of Ninon 
bearing their luncheon-tray the man, Wilhelm, en- 
tered the room. 

“ Where do you want this? ” he said^ leering at 
262 


U. S, MARINE 


the girls, who from the opposite side of the room 
viewed him with astonishment and some fear, for 
such a proceeding was entirely new and warned 
them of some calamity. 

“ On that table,” answered Ursula, pointing to- 
ward the ornate marble-topped piece of furniture in 
the center of the room. Then she added, with her 
heart throbbing fearfully, “ Where is Frau Schu- 
mann? ” 

Before replying the fellow cast another insolent 
look in their direction, then placing the tray where 
he had been told, he straightened up, and said : 

“ I regret to inform you that Frau Schumann 
has met with an accident, and until her recovery I 
am to be your guardian angel.” 

“An accident! How! What happened? ” 

“ If I told you then you would know as much as 
I do,” replied Wilhelm, with a clumsy attempt at 
witticism. “ You appear to be very fond of your 
former jailer. Perhaps you will grow fond of your 
present one also.” 

With that he retreated into the hallway, closing 
and locking the door upon his cunning fox-like face 
and evil eyes. Marie and Ursula gazed at each 
other in consternation. So absorbed were they that 
neither one heard the door reopen silently, and the 
face of Wilhelm appeared for a second around its 
edge. 


263 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ In case you dislike my service, I beg of you, 
ladies,’' he said, with mock fear in his tones, “ please 
do not shoot poor Wilhelm.” 

Again the door closed, and from the hallway 
came the loud guffaw of the man and the sound of 
his retreating footsteps. 


264 


CHAPTER XVIII 


LITTLE PIEERE LEADS THE WAY 

“ You may return to Paris.” 

“ Am I to come for you at any particular time, 
sir?” 

“ No, your duty is finished; we shall go the rest 
of the way on foot.” 

“ Good-night, messieurs ! ” 

“ Good-night, — or what is more true. Good- 
morning! ” 

The car was turned about, and soon its red tail- 
light was lost beyond a turn of the road. 

“ How far are we from Count Marin’s estate, 
Frank? ” inquired Dick. 

The two young men who had recently alighted 
from the big touring car were in civilian clothes, 
and now stood alone in the middle of the road. 

“We are about two kilometers southeast of it. 
Not far from here is the road which passes within a 
few yards of the Count’s front door. Near the 
junction of these roads is the home of Marc’s father, 
the charcoal burner. I came down here yesterday 
and interviewed him. I found that Marc had told 
him nothing. He had already been notified of his 
265 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


boy’s death. The old fellow was loquacious in his 
grief and unconsciously told me enough to satisfy 
me that my deductions were correct, but the best in- 
formant was his other son, a boy of thirteen years. 
He is to meet us and act as our guide this morning.” 

“ Can you trust him? ” questioned Dick. 

“ Absolutely. He was the one who got the first 
letter from Ninon, and by giving it to Marc it 
reached me. He also brought out the other letters 
and, according to an agreement with Ninon, he was 
to go each week and act as emissary. She had paid 
him some money which I had furnished her for 
emergencies. The third time he met Ninon — last 
February, I believe it was — she gave him two let- 
ters. Just as he was leaving the summer-house, 
where they kept their rendezvous, he was caught 
and the letters taken from him. The little fellow 
was taken before von Etten, although Pierre be- 
lieved the German spy was the Count, for he had 
never seen the old nobleman. Von Etten explained 
to him that the woman was nurse for his daughters 
and that it was wrong for him to carry letters as the 
writers were irresponsible and that by doing so he 
might be the cause of great sorrow to the Count. 
Little Pierre promised to remain away. Von Et- 
ten flattered him and added to his little store of 
wealth and the lad departed. Being an honest 
youngster, he soon saw that he had not acted honor- 
266 


C7. S, MARINE 


ably in accepting Ninon’s money and then failing 
his part of the bargain. Many times since he has 
endeavored to see the housekeeper in order to return 
the money, but he found the chateau too well 
guarded and has never seen her to speak with nor 
to attract her attention since.” 

“ So they have guards posted? ” inquired Dick. 

“ Indeed they have, and little Pierre has 
watched the place so closely that he knows their 
posts and their times of changing the watch. He 
says ‘ they often speak in Italian,’ and supposes 
that the Count brought the men from Italy with 
him on his return.” 

“ How does he know it’s Italian? ” 

“ That’s just it. He doesn’t know. Neither 
does he know German, so the chances are that they 
are speaking German and he believes it to be 
Italian.” 

“ Is he capable of finding his way about the place 
at night? ” 

“Yes, I imagine so. He’s lived here always. 
He told me that he used the Count’s lands as his 
playground and, since he was old enough, as a 
poaching preserve, too. He’s small for his age, 
and before the Count’s family moved to Italy the 
hostlers used to let him ride some of Marin’s horses 
around the paddock. He wanted to grow up to be 
a jockey. There is a private race-track not far 
267 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

from the chateau, in the center of the woods, and 
that recalls to my mind another piece of valuable 
information; the boy has frequently seen aeroplanes 
land there; generally at night, but occasionally by 
day. He states, however, that they were always 
French planes.” 

“French planes!” exclaimed Dick, incredu- 
lously. “ Does he know a French machine when he 
sees one? ” 

“ Indeed, yes! Slarc had told him about them 
and their distinguishing marks, and if the war con- 
tinues the little chap is going to give up his dream 
of being a jockey and become an aviator — the Ace 
of all Aces.” 

“What else does this youngster know? He 
seems to be a mighty valuable find for you, 
Frank.” 

“ Well, he knows a lot, but he has no inkling that 
these are German spies working here. He has ap- 
proached the men employed by the ‘ Count ’ many 
times and tried to make friends with them, but one 
and all have rebuffed him, so, being just a boy, he 
has played that they were enemies, little knowing 
how he has hit the nail on the head, and for the sake 
of his ‘ make-believe ’ has spied on them all these 
months. The next most important news is that 
there is a dove-cote concealed in the woods and filled 
with homing pigeons. As often as the birds are 
268 


V. S. MARINE 


UNITED 

STATED 



UPPCn AMO lOMCR wmcs 


tmrStV£ 


JVMfTE 

^£d 


BRITISH 



LOWER. WIN£S 


.BLUE 

jwmite, 


ERBNCH 


BELGIAN 


GERMAN 


LOWER W/W9S 



LOWER WmOB 


RED 

WH/TE 

atue 



RED 

Yellow 

BLACK 



These are the distinctive markings of aeroplanes during the 
World War as explained to Little Pierre by his brother Marc. 
The U. S. Array fliers in France did not use the star device but a 
cockade similar to those below. The navy fliers used the star. 


269 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


loosed new ones are brought, — probably in the aero- 
planes, — to replace them.’' 

“And how is it that he has been able to keep all 
this to himself? ” 

“ He has told no one because he enjoyed this 
game he played. There are no boy companions in 
the neighborhood, and he is a lonely sort of a little 
chap. When Marc returned from the front he told 
this big brother of his, and Marc said it was a fine 
game to play and asked to see all these things for 
himself. Pierre was loth to show him and did not 
do so until Marc had promised not to spoil his fun. 
It was in this manner that Marc undoubtedly se- 
cured the information which he came to Paris to 
report. At the same time he did not let on to 
Pierre for fear the news would be so great that the 
boy could not keep it.” 

“ What excuse did you give Pierre in order to 
get his consent to act as your guide? ” questioned 
Dick. 

“ Oh, I don’t know. I always seem to have a 
way of getting on with kiddies, and I told Pierre if 
he would meet me this morning just before daylight 
at a certain place along the road that I’d show him 
a new way of playing his game which was a thriller, 
and I’d also have a big secret to tell him. Besides, 
he is keen about money, and a few francs helped a 
powerful lot toward getting his consent.” 

270 


J7. S, MARINE 

Frank paused in the road for a time and listened 
attentively. 

“ We must be getting near the crossroad which 
leads past Chateau Marin,” he continued. “ It is 
seldom used by others than people bound for the old 
place on business or pleasure, and at present it is in 
an awful state of repair. Hello ! Here is our little 
man awaiting us and right on the dot. Bon jour, 
mon petit! ” ' 

The boy whom Richards addressed arose from his 
seat on a log at the roadside and leaving the shad- 
ows, approached slowly, striving to make out the 
features of the two pedestrians as they halted near 
him. His little figure was erect and stiff, like a 
soldier on duty. 

Bon jour, m'sieu^ ^ he replied softly, ‘‘ and will 
you give the password upon which we have 
agreed? ” 

“ I will give you my half, and then you will an- 
swer with the rest,” answered Richards, and added 
in English the word, “Always.” 

“ Faithful,” cam^ the boy’s clear response. 

“ Our Marine Corps motto! ” exclaimed Dick. 

“ Bienl ” said little Pierre, “ and now we are 
prepared to start on our reconnaissance, messieurs. 
It is well you are early, for we must be far hidden in 
the forest before the sun is up.” 

^ Good day, my little man. 

271 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

‘‘ That will be quite possible then,” responded 
Richards, “ because it doesn’t look as if the sun was 
going to shine at all to-day. I believe we are to 
have a rainy trip if all signs are correct,” and he 
glanced overhead where not a star could be seen, 
but instead, heavy, low-lying clouds; while in the 
east a flash of lightning was followed by the distant 
roll of thunder. 

“ It is the enemy bombarding our position, sir,” 
replied little Pierre, solemnly. 

“ ‘ Thunder at morning,’ ” quoted Frank. 

“ ‘ Sailor take warning,’ ” croaked Dick, enter- 
ing into the spirit of the game. 

Oui, m'sieu, and soldiers like us must take 
care,” cautioned the small boy. “ This way, sir. 
Follow me! ” 

“A regular campaigner,” whispered Dick in En- 
glish to Richards, as without a moment’s hesitation 
the two turned from the road and followed the 
erect, smocked figure wending a way through the 
great trees of the wood as silently as an American 
Indian on the trail when the foe is in close prox- 
imity. 

Each moment now the gray light was increasing 
in the eastern sky, and the trunks of the tall trees 
seemed even ghostlier than when they first entered 
the wood. Now, preliminary peeping of the birds 
could be heard. First sleepy lisps, punctuated here 
272 


17. S. MARINE 


and there with short bursts of throaty trilling, wel- 
coming the dawn and the knowledge of a new day 
of spring. Little cared these feathered denizens of 
leaf and fern whether or not big drops of rain were 
now falling. What mattered it? Rain made the 
earth softer; made mellow the ground; hastened 
the ever-increasing green of foliage which would 
shelter their nests from prying eyes of the inquisi- 
tive. 

“ There is the race-course,’’ whispered their guide, 
pushing aside some rain-laden branches and disclos- 
ing to the curious eyes of his companions a wonder- 
ful oval field of green, hemmed in on all sides by 
the tall trees. 

On the further side of the oval was a collection of 
buildings, stables, paddocks, a small stand with 
tiers of seats. The track itself, bounded by the con- 
centric rails of whitewashed fence, was gTeen from 
long disuse. 

“Are we to cross it? ” inquired Dick, and hardly 
was he able to restrain his smile when he saw the 
withering glance of the French boy. 

“ Is that the way Americans approach a danger- 
ous position? ” came the reply. “ No, we keep in 
the shadow of the wood always. There are guards 
living in those buildings. If we hasten we may get 
around and beyond them before the new relief goes 
on duty, then by hiding in a certain place you may 

273 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

see the new sentries pass on their way to the cha- 
teau.” 

Fifteen minutes later from the shelter of a low 
scrub growth they saw two men pass. There was 
nothing remarkable about their appearance. Both 
were strongly built, while from their waists were 
slung belts with heavy revolvers in holsters hanging 
thereto. 

“ Now, messieurs, follow quicldy but quietly. 
We can safely gain a point from which we may 
view the chateau itself.” 

Soon ensconced in the greenery of an ornately 
trimmed hedge the trio were examining the ram- 
bling stone structure, built many centuries ago by 
the ancestors of the present Count Marin. The 
first thing which attracted their attention were the 
three iron-barred windows on the second floor 
of what appeared to be the main building. 
From their place of concealment to the walls of 
the chateau was scarcely seventy-five yards, and 
directly in back of them rose the walls of the 
old summer-house, a very substantial structure 
of masonry, and as old, nearly, as the chateau 
itself. 

“ It is behind those three barred windows where 
the Count keeps his crazy daughters,” vouchsafed 
Pierre. “ Sometimes I have seen them gazing out 
at the trees and flowers. Often I see the house- 
274 



Eagerly Dick and Frank Scrutinized the 
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U. S. MATtINE 


keeper or nurse when she pulls aside the curtains in 
the morning. At this hour the poor things are 
about waking, and soon she will come to let the 
morning light into their chamber; but the windows 
are never opened — winter nor summer.’’ 

Eagerly Dick and Frank scrutinized the three 
windows, for they believed beyond any shadow of a 
doubt that in the room behind the bars were Ursula 
and Marie and likewise the woman, Ninon. That 
the household was awaking soon became evident. 
The sound of doors opening and closing at the back 
of the chateau; the clatter of pots and pans from 
the kitchen, and the smoke issuing from the chim- 
neys, was good evidence that breakfast was under 
way. 

Suddenly Dick caught Richards by the shoulder 
with a vise-like grip. 

“ Look! See in the window! It’s Ursula! ” he 
whispered hoarsely in the other’s ear. 

The girl stood in the embrasure, her head bowed 
as if in deep thought, watching the drops of rain 
pattering on tree and flower and shrub. 

“ Perhaps if I wave something she will see me,” 
said Dick, now thoroughly excited and hardly able 
to refrain from rushing out onto the lawn and into 
plain view. With the words he took a handkerchief 
from his pocket and was about to use it as he had 
suggested. None too soon little Pierre grabbed 
27s 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

his hand, and the boy’s face was chalk-white in his 
agitation. 

Jamais! * You must not, m’sieu’.” 

“ Must not? ” repeated Dick, trying to free his 
hand from the youngster’s clinging fingers; “ and 
why not? ” 

Dick’s first exclamation to Frank when he 
glimpsed his sister was spoken in English, as were 
his following remarks, but Pierre had nevertheless 
been able to read intuitively what it was this excit- 
able companion of his intended doing, but now the 
conversation was again carried on in French. 

“ Look there and you will see, sir,” said Pierre, 
as with shaking finger he pointed toward a tree a 
little over a hundred yards distant. Under its 
spreading branches one of the newly posted guards 
was standing. It almost looked as if his eyes were 
fixed on the exact spot where the three were in hid- 
ing. If you make a single move he will see you,” 
whispered the boy. 

“ Do you believe he sees us now? ” questioned 
Frank. 

“ I am not sure! Yet he is so still that he may 
suspect something. If he starts this way follow me 
quickly and be careful not to move a bush or 
shrub. Yes, here he comes ! Vite, messieurs f' " 

Even as he turned to follow Frank and the boy, 

'^’ever. ‘Quickly, sirs. 


276 


C7. S. MARINE 


Dick looked again at the window, but Ursula was 
no longer in plain view. 

“ I’ll get you out of that place before this day 
passes,” muttered Dick, his heart beating fast and 
furiously in his anger at the man responsible for this 
long imprisonment of the sister he so dearly loved. 
And in his indignation so freshly aroused he forgot 
for a moment the cautions of the little guide. He 
caught his foot in a loose root and in tr^dng to keep 
his balance he brushed heavily against a bush in his 
path, setting the foliage bobbing back and forth 
violently, and the next second came the sharp report 
of a revolver and a leaden bullet whizzed by him. 
The guard had fired and now was running rapidly 
toward the spot where the bushes had waved so sus- 
piciously on this windless, rainy morning. 


277 


CHAPTER XIX 


THE FORGOTTEN DOOR 

“ What shall we do now? ” 

It was Marie Faure who propounded the ques- 
tion after Ursula had attentively listened at the 
locked door and assured herself that Wilhelm had 
really descended the stairs to the hall below. 

Having retreated to the window overlooking the 
forest, the girls now stood in the embrasure convers- 
ing in low tones. 

“ Secure the papers and leave here to-night,’’ an- 
swered Ursula without a moment’s hesitation, and 
the look in her eyes was such as to give encourage- 
ment to her companion. “ I fear von Etten dis- 
covered in some way that the papers have been tam- 
pered with and he suspects Ninon, therefore he has 
locked her up, or sent her away, or something.” 

“ Then you don’t believe Wilhelm? ” 

“What! Believe that fellow? Not for a mo- 
ment; but I do wish I knew what they have really 
done to her. Anyway, it is certain that we must 
act at once. All we need is a little courage, dear, 
and, knowing we are in the right, we surely must 
278 


L\ S. MARINE 


succeed. Evil cannot prosper all the time, so let us 
think out what we have to do.” 

“ Oh, Ursula, the key — the key! That is our one 
hope,” and with the words Marie ran to the bath- 
room door and extracted the precious key, to hold 
it tightly in her closed hands. “ When the house is 
quiet to-night we can steal out of the room, go to 
the library, secure the papers and then escape into 
the woods. Never mind in what direction Paris 
lies ; as soon as we meet someone they will tell us the 
way.” 

“Yes, but there are many difficulties which must 
be overcome and arranged for. You see we don’t 
know just where the book-shelf is, and there will be 
no light in the room. We can’t afford to feel be- 
hind every one of those thousands of books in the 
dark. Then, too, we must not forget the sentinels 
around the house. We know they are armed and 
would not hesitate to shoot us if they discovered us 
stealing away. You saw how one of them fired at 
a dog in the bushes this morning out near the sum- 
mer-house. At least, I suppose it was a dog, and 
it shows they don’t care much how they use their 
weapons. They are taking no chances.” 

“ They appeared much excited this morning,” 
added Marie, “ and went hunting about in the 
hedge for some time. However, that is a chance 
we must take, and perhaps — perhaps, we might find 
279 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


some raincoats and hats hanging in the hallway, 
Ursula, and we could disguise ourselves, and as you 
speak German perfectly we might mislead them 
should they attempt to stop us. If this rain keeps 
up it will be a dark night, and then, too, they may 
not be so vigilant.” 

“ Y-e-s,” Ursula acquiesced, hesitatingly and 
with considerable doubt in her tone, “ that might be 
possible.” And then for the rest of the day the two 
girls discussed the difficult and dangerous task they 
had before them. 

By the time Wilhelm brought in their evening 
meal they had settled upon their plans in so far as 
they were able to foresee, and they awaited with 
bated breath and the impatience of youth and en- 
thusiasm the hour they were to set in motion the 
result of their mental labors. 

In the meantime Dick, Frank, and little Pierre 
were having exciting experiences of their own; and 
locked in the dark, cell-like vaults of the chateau 
Ninon Schumann was actually crying her eyes out 
for fear of what might happen to her two charges. 

Soon after leaving Marie and Ursula that morn- 
ing to attend to her household tasks she had been 
summoned to the library by von Etten and under- 
went a close and severe examination. 

“ Have I not told you, Frau Schumann, that the 
books on the shelves of this room were never to be 
280 


C7. S, MARINE 


removed? That it was so stipulated in the agree- 
ment which I made with the owner of the chateau? ” 
“ I remember you made a statement to that effect. 
Mein Herr,’’ fenced Ninon, her mind actively at 
work in an attempt to concoct some plausible story 
by which she might escape the coming storm of von 
Etten’s wrath. 

“ Then why have you seen fit to disobey my or- 
ders in that particular? ” 

“ What leads you to believe. Mein Herr, that I 
have disobej^ed them? ” she replied, looking straight 
into the eyes of the angry German officer. 

“No equivocation if you please, Frau Schumann. 
I know that some of the books have been removed 

contrary to my orders and ” 

“ Which books? ” interrupted Ninon, assuming a 
look of incredulity and gazing about her at the 
shelves with unfeigned interest. 

“ Never mind which books,” snapped von Etten. 
“ In spite of your air of innocence I suspect you, 
and my work here is too near completion to have it 
endangered by feminine inquisitiveness or careless- 
ness at this ninth hour, consequently I’m going to 
remove you from temptation for a few days.” 

He touched a bell on the desk and Wilhelm im- 
mediately appeared at the door. 

“ Frau Schumann, I propose locking you in the 
wine vaults at the chateau. Wilhelm has already 
281 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


been instructed to place a cot there for your use, 
and I assure you that j^our stay will not be too un- 
comfortable. Possibly I may see my waj^ clear to 
release you in the morning, depending upon 
whether certain things transpire to-night.’’ 

While he spoke his eyes kept searching Ninon’s 
expressionless face for any signs which might af- 
ford an index to her feelings. 

“ I trust you will give no trouble to Wilhelm; 
that you will go with him quietly and without fuss.” 

“ But, Mein Herr, who will serve the young 
ladies their meals? ” questioned Ninon, and though 
her face showed no emotion nevertheless beneath 
the housekeeper’s apron her heart was beating 
rapidly. 

“ Wilhelm will serve them as he will serve you,” 
was the reply. 

“ Are you certain that this talk of books and so 
forth is not all made out of whole cloth to cover 
some move on your part which you are 
ashamed ” 

“ Shut up,” thundered the voice of the man at the 
desk. The woman was uncanny in her deductions. 
“ I have no time to dally words with you. Lock 
her up at once, Wilhelm, and let me get on with 
my work.” 

“ But ” began Ninon, desperately. 

“ Obey me, immediately,” cried Gottlieb, pound- 
282 


U. S. MARINE 


ing violently on the desk, and addressing the man 

by Ninon’s side, “ or I will ” but Wilhelm did 

not wait to hear what his master would do. With 
a clever twirl he had spirited Ninon from the room 
and closed the door behind them. 

“ Come,” he said, grinning broadly, “ follow me, 
and if you behave yourself and play fair with me 
your time in the cellars need not be so unhappy.” 

“ What do you mean by this kind of talk? ” said 
Ninon. 

“ Oh, nothing much, but you know the Colonel 
has heretofore kept that cellar key in his own 
pocket. Now I am the custodian and perhaps I 
can give you a little unauthorized liberty to-night.” 

“ I’ll think it over,” answered Ninon, none too 
genially, “ but I’ll want to know what mischief 
you’re up to before I consent.” 

“Good!” exclaimed Wilhelm, ingratiatingly. 
“ Anything you say goes, Frau Schumann. There 
is something in the wind. I don’t know it all as 
yet, but I will tell you more later.” 

now they had descended to the cellars and 
stood before an old, iron-bound door of heavy con- 
struction. Wilhelm lighted a candle which he gave 
to the woman. He next unlocked the portal and 
swung it open. By the dim glimmer Ninon saw a 
narrow cot, a table, and a chair arranged between 
the rows of shelves and barrels. Slowly she ad- 
283 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

vanced into the gloomy vaults, then the door 
clanged shut and the great key was turned in the 
lock. 

Wilhelm appeared at noon with a steaming tray- 
ful of food. He also brought a lantern of the old 
bull’s-eye type which he had found somewhere 
about the premises. While Ninon ate he explained 
what she was to do to earn a few moments of fresh 
air that same evening. It appeared that a few 
members of the Colonel’s retinue had arranged for 
a dinner party in celebration of the birthday of one 
of their number but lacked the necessary wines and 
the means of getting them. As luck would have it 
the keys of the wine cellars were temporarily in 
Wilhelm’s keeping and furthermore there was a 
well-founded rumor that their master was going to 
be busily engaged during the evening. Such an 
opportunity could not be allowed to pass without 
due advantage taken of the situation, but Ninon’s 
presence in the vaults made it difficult because it 
was understood that she was still on good terms 
with von Etten who had placed her in the cellars 
for special cause which one or two of the guards 
claimed to know; therefore, at a later date she 
might make it uncomfortable for them by carrying 
tales. Consequently it was with mingled looks of 
gratitude and relief that Wilhelm relocked the door 
after him, having won what he believed was a re- 
284 


U, S, MARINE 


luctant and difficult victory over Frau Schumann’s 
objections and fears. 

After he had left, Ninon was very busy. From 
the pocket of her apron she drew forth a pair of 
scissors and a box of matches. She first lit the 
candle and examined the amount of oil in the bull’s- 
eye lantern. It proved to be filled and the wick 
burned brightly. After this she made a tour of the 
cellars but found no other means of entry than the 
great door near which her cot was placed. She also 
discovered the bins where the wines which Wilhelm 
desired for his midnight revel were located. Re- 
turning to her chair she blew out both lantern and 
candle, and for some time there was the sound as 
of linen being torn in strips and the incisive clipping 
of the shears in the darkness. 

Not again was the candle lit until the evening 
shadows fell over the chateau and surrounding for- 
est. In due time she heard the turning of the great 
key and the door opened to admit Wilhelm with 
her evening meal. 

“ In an hour I will return,” he told her. “ I can- 
not stop now. Mein Herr is in a temper. Some- 
thing has gone wrong, and he keeps me on the jump 
every minute with trips to the dove-cote, and to 
Lieutenant Volkner at the garage quarters, and the 
race-track. Be sure to have them ready for me on 
my return.” 


285 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


“ I shall be ready for you,” replied the woman 
grimly, though the man failed to note her manner, 
and then she asked, “ Has anything new occurred? ” 

“ Many things,” said Wilhelm, “ but I cannot 
explain them to you. However, it will not interfere 
with our party in the least, but will add to the 
pleasure of the occasion,” and with that he left her. 

Hastily eating her meal, Ninon lighted her 
lantern and turning the wick down she closed the 
slide over the opening, leaving her again in dark- 
ness except for the burning candle. This she now 
took from the table and from under the bedclothes 
she procured many rolls of white bandages made 
of narrow strips of linen which she had cut and 
ripped out of the sheets. Placing them con- 
venient to the doorway she then made her way to 
the bin where the oldest vintages rested on the cob- 
webbed, dusty shelves. 

Going to the back of the bin she was about to 
reach in when she was startled at a strange sound 
seemingly at her elbow. She listened intently and 
next came a dulled murmur of voices. Again came 
the sound which first had attracted her, as of some- 
one trying to force a heavy instrument between the 
boards which lined this particular cubicle. A dull, 
heavy blow and the splintering of wood. 

What could be the meaning of this? She ex- 
amined the boards at the back of the bin and in- 
286 


[7. S. MARINE 


stantly saw that here was a door which in her first 
search she had overlooked. A rusty key was pro- 
truding from an equally rusty lock. Who could be 
on the other side of the door and where might this 
forgotten portal lead? 

Again she heard the voices. There were several 
men on the other side of the door. Perhaps von 
Etten’s hiding-place had been discovered and the 
authorities were prying into the matter. It would 
never do for them to find her in the chateau. Noth- 
ing could save her from suspicion and fatal conse- 
quences. She must get out now for more than just 
the desire to visit Ursula and Marie in the room 
above to see if they were safe. She must escape and 
take the papers with her. By now Colonel von 
Etten would be having his supper and the great 
library would be vacant. Without waiting any 
longer she turned and hurried back to her cot. 
Picking up the lantern she took it to the door, blew 
out her candle and crouched down in the darkness 
praying fervently meanwhile that the man Wilhelm 
would come before it was too late. 


287 


CHAPTER XX 


LIKE MICE IN A TRAP 

Vite, messieurs! This way and you are saved.’’ 

The sharp, staccato notes of little Pierre’s voice 
carried conviction, and quickly following him, both 
Dick and Frank crawled through a narrow bit of 
hedge and were confronted by the walls of the or- 
nate summer-house. 

“ Here we are,” announced the little chap, and 
in some miraculous manner he had pushed aside a 
stone in the solid appearing masonry which gave 
entrance beneath the first floor of the building. 

Without hesitation the young men plunged into 
the seeming black hole before them, but Pierre with 
a natural born instinct for precaution delayed just 
long enough to obliterate any telltale tracks in the 
soil near the entrance to their refuge, and not a 
moment too soon they saw him enter and with ease 
push the gi’eat stone back into place. 

Heavy footsteps came running along the path 
between the hedgerows. Then came other foot- 
falls and above the patter of the rain could be heard 
the thick voices of the two men outside speaking 
the German tongue. 


288 


[7. S. MARINE 


It was not dark under the suininer-house. Vari- 
ous openings, apparently made for architectural 
beauty, gave both light and air and because of these 
the conversation of the two watchmen was per- 
fectly audible. 

Ils sont Italien /" ' whispered little Pierre. 

“ S-s-s-sh,” cautioned Dick. “You are wrong. 
They are Germans. Listen!” 

“ Why so nervous this morning, Gustave? The 
idea of wasting shots on stray dogs. Ha! But if 
Mein Herr, the Colonel, was disturbed by your 
racket I would not choose to be in your boots, my 
friend. I have seen him but a short time since and 
he is in a black temper. I guess he liked not the 
message which arrived by pigeon-post during the 
night.” 

“ I know nothing of his messages,” answered the 
other sulkily, “ and I tell you it was no dog at which 
I fired. It was as if something white was waved 
from behind the hedge there. It was too high up 
for a dog and then soon after the bushes shook 
violently, so I fired.” 

“Huh! You could not have aimed well, Gus- 
tave; there are no signs of blood about.” 

“No? However, it was not a dog. See here be- 
neath this bush. Isn’t that a bootmark? ” 

“ Without doubt, my friend, yet it signifies noth- 

* They are Italian. 

289 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


ing. The gardener, yourself, myself, in fact any of 
the guard ” 

“ Yes, but this is a fresh mark or I miss my guess. 
It has been newly made.” 

“ That may or may not be, Gustave. This rain 
leaves nothing fresh for long. However, we had 
best make a thorough search. We want no prowl- 
ers about to-day or to-night. Kappan is expected 
and he brings others with him.” 

“ That is news to me,” said Gustave, immediately 
interested, “ and who may the others be? ” 

“ Even to myself I would not state their names 
aloud,” replied the other. “It is risky enough in 
their coming this far over the lines. I say, even 
that it is too much danger for them to take for such 
an errand as that on which they come, and jeopard- 
izing our air-forces to such an extent. Ah, here 
come two more guards. The sentries all about are 
to be doubled to-day and to-night.” 

“ Well, well,” exclaimed Gustave, in a resentful 
manner. “ Eveiyone but myself seems to know 
what is going on. How is it I am not informed? 
Am I not to be trusted? Come, come, I don’t like 
this at all. I take my chances with the rest, and I 
have some rights ” 

“ Hush, you poor fool. If you will sleep so 
soundly that even Mein Herr’s visit to our quar- 
ters cannot awaken you then you deserve to be left 
290 


U, S. MARINE 


in the dark as to his intentions. But truth to tell, 
Gustave, I was to have told you and I forgot to do 
so. Forgive me and be quiet and I will make in- 
stant amend. 

“It is this way. Our work here is about com- 
pleted, and Mein Herr has received his orders to 
be ready to cross over into our lines to-night. 
There will be two, three, or four planes come for 
him and to-morrow the chateau will be deserted. 
A few of us are to remain for a day or so, you and 
I, Wilhelm and Carl.’’ 

“ And why should we remain behind? ” snorted 
Gustave. “ What have we done to ” 

“ Oh, well, if you insist on being disagreeable and 
interrupting me ” 

“ I shall be still,” said Gustave, “ only hurry with 
your tale.” 

“ Von Etten as you know never forgets nor for- 
gives an enemy. It seems that these two girls he 
has kept prisoner for so long are related to that 
young American officer of marines who discovered 
our little schemes in St. Nazaire to the French offi- 
cials. One of the girls is his sister and the other is 
his ” 

“ Sweetheart,” spurted forth Gustave. “ I was 
behind the blinds in the building in St. Nazaire and 
overheard and reported their conversation to Mein 
Herr, the Colonel.” 


291 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


“ So you know about them, eh? 

“Yes, and I know both of the officers who be- 
trayed us ; but go on, go on.” 

“ It appears,” continued the other, “ that Mein 
Herr hoped to catch the chief offender — Comstock 
is his name, am I right? — ^that same night he 
brought the girls here, and he did not intend to deal 
any too gently with him either. However, he failed 
and only got the girls for his trouble, then foolishly 
kept them and brought them here. The very night 
they arrived he received orders from Headquarters 
and he feared to let them go because they might 
give information which would lead to an investiga- 
tion of the chateau. He did not intend to harm 
them but his failure to get that fellow Comstock 
made him angry, also, some other plan he was try- 
ing to work out on his own account failed and went 
wrong, so he proceeded to make another false move, 
and in order to account for the girls being at the 
chateau and a reason for his action in taking them 
in the first place, he reported that they were dan- 
gerous to our government and should be taken 
to Germany and kept there until the war was 
ended. 

“ Too late he saw his error, and now he has re- 
ceived orders that they are to be carried across the 
lines to-night. He suspects Frau Schumann of be- 
ing disloyal in so far as they are concerned, and 
292 


U. S. MARINE 

fearing if she got wind of the move she would at- 
tempt in some way to thwart it, he has concocted 
a tale to place her in the wrong, and on the strength 
of it is going to lock her up to-day in the cellars 
until after their departure to-night.’’ 

The listener grunted his scorn at all this. 

“ It appears to me that Mein Herr goes to a lot 
of trouble just to get a mere woman out of the 
way. What hold has she on him? ” 

“ I am sure I don’t know,” answered Gustave’s 
companion. “You see there are many missing links 
in all this, but to be honest, Gustave, I happened to 
overhear all this when von Etten was pajung a visit 
to Volkner at our quarters just about daylight this 
morning.” 

“ And are we supposed to be in the dark about 
all these things? ” 

“Yes, to all except the facts given out to us by 
Volkner while you were tending the pigeons. We 
expect the planes here to-night to take away von 
Etten, Volkner and the two girls. Immediately 
after thej^ have left Frau Schumann is to be paid 
off and sent to Paris and the chateau deserted. The 
great drive has begun. Our troops are victorious 
all along the lines wherever and whenever they 
launch an attack. Paris will be in our hands within 
a month. Already the people are leaving the city 
like rats deserting the sinking ship.” 

293 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ What do we four do after the others have 
gone? ” 

“ Report back to old headquarters in Paris 
and prepare to greet our men when they enter the 
city.” 

“ Thank God, we are to leave this deadly place,” 
ejaculated Gustave. 

“ I agree with you. I feel sure the planes will 
come to-night for the weather is favorable and after 
they have gone we will have a grand celebration. 
Wilhelm has promised to stock our larder with 
many bottles of Count Marin’s best vintages be- 
fore he gives over the keys to the Colonel.” 

“ Let us hope they depart early then, and after 
they leave what is to prevent our helping ourselves,” 
said Gustave, smacking his lips, and after a few 
more words the two guards tramped off to join their 
fellows taking shelter from the rain under the eaves 
of the chateau itself. 

All this time Dick and Frank had listened with 
eager ears to the plans which had been under dis- 
cussion and little Pierre, though not understanding 
a word, had not moved an inch for fear his com- 
panions would miss some spoken word in the lan- 
guage which he now knew to be that of the hated 
German race. 

After the departure of the guards Frank hur- 
riedly told the boy enough of what had transpired 
294 


C7. 5^. MARINE 


to make him all the more anxious to serve these new- 
found friends and allies. 

“ Lift me up while I look through the openings,” 
he whispered, “ and see if we may safely leave here.” 
So, climbing up on Dick’s broad shoulders, he made 
a careful survey of what was to be seen from the 
apertures just below the beams of the floor over- 
head. 

“ I believe we can get away safely,” he said, on 
being lowered to the stone-flagged floor. “ The 
four guards are still in sight in the shelter of the 
chateau. We have but to open the stone door, gain 
the forest on the far side of this building and then 
we are safe.” 

“ Hurry then, Pierre, and open the door. There 
is no time to lose,” said Dick. “ This is too serious 
a matter to attempt it alone and unaided. We 
must get help, and at once.” 

Pierre immediately began pushing on the 
masonry wall where the cleavages showed the 
swinging stone was located, but all his efforts 
proved unavailing. Then Dick and Frank essayed 
to help him but their united strength was useless. 
The stone refused to budge a fraction of an inch 
and the inside surface of the wall except for the 
narrow crack showing where the opening was gave 
no sign of hidden spring or lever which opened this 
means of exit from the medieval structure. 

295 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

To their questions, little Pierre, now thoroughly 
frightened, replied with tears in eyes and voice that 
his brother Marc had showed him how to open the 
door only three days ago while they were spying 
about the place previous to Marc’s return to Paris, 
but Marc had not gone inside nor had he told Pierre 
how he knew of the existence of the secret door, nor 
how it was operated from the interior. 

Frantically now the three prisoners searched and 
scraped, pushed and shoved, but the great stone re- 
fused to move on its pivot, and finally exhausted 
and despairing they sat down on the heavy stone 
slabs of the floor to talk over the situation. 

In spite of all that was to occur within the next 
few hours they could see no way of preventing the 
escape of von Etten and the carrying away of 
Ursula and Marie into Germany. They were 
caught as surely as mice in a trap. 

Inside the summer-house there was not a single 
article of furniture or any sort of a utensil. 
Around the edges of the wall, dirt and dust had 
drifted into little piles. The wall itself was with- 
out crack or crevice except where the stone which 
was used as a door was placed. This stone was 
bevelled on its edges and fitted so perfectly into 
place that only a thin knife blade could be inserted 
between it and the rest of the wall. Overhead mas- 
sive rafters closely placed and grown hard with age 


U. S. MARINE 


gave no hope of being forced to one side even if an 
instrument of some sort were available. 

“ We must do something,” said Dick. “ I, for 
one, am willing to call out to those guards and give 
ourselves up. That would be better than sitting 
here and waiting till they have gone and take the 
chances of starving to death before anj^one hap- 
pened around this old house. In fact I think it’s the 
only thing to do. If they come over and follow our 
directions they can open the door and perhaps we 
might surprise them and one of us get away. We 
have arms and I guess we two could hold them off 
until little Pierre got away and gave the alarm.” 

This announcement came after a half hour’s deep 
thought and Frank, unable to think of any better 
plan, reluctantlj^ agreed. So Pierre prepared again 
to mount on Dick’s shoulders and call out to the 
guard, but by the time they had raised him up the 
guards were nowhere in sight and so he reported 
when he was lowered from his post of observation. 

The little French boy had been mighty brave up 
to this time, but now he was breaking down under 
the fear of this experience and as he talked he 
kicked at the pile of dirt in the corner where he 
stood in an impatient as well as wrathful manner. 
Suddenly he stopped kicking and the next moment 
had dropped to his knees and was digging at the 
soft loam much as a dog digs a hole in the sand, and 
297 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


a second or two later he straightened up and in his 
grasp was a long piece of pointed steel much like 
a crowbar, and well covered with rust. 

With an exclamation of delighted surprise Dick 
snatched the iron from Pierre and showed it to 
Frank. 

“A means of escape!” he almost yelled the words, 
so greatly did the sight of this rusty old bar excite 
and encourage him. “ Why, Frank, with this we 
can pry away some of those stones in the openings 
above and make our escape. Hooray, we are not 
beaten yet.” 

The delighted young man lowered the bar and 
pounded on the stone slab beneath his feet in his 

joy. 

“ Hark ! ” said Frank. “ Pound on that stone 
again, Dick.” 

Much mystified Dick did as he was told, while 
Frank, getting on his hands and knees, placed his 
ear to the floor. 

“ My boy, that stone is hollow underneath. I’ll 
bet that there is a passageway from here to the 
chateau. Who said we were beaten? ” 

And to the astonishment of little Pierre who sat 
leaning against the wall in open-mouthed wonder, 
these two Americans began a regular Indian war 
dance, so quickly had their spirits risen from the 
Slough of Despond. 


298 


CHAPTER XXI 


THE THREE MUS-KEE-TERS 

Row on row of barracks buildings, line after line 
of hangars, hundreds of machine-shops, the hum of 
motors, the flash of broad wings of creatures of the 
air which out-rivalled in size the flying denizens of 
prehistoric days. A broad field of green with curi- 
ous markings laid thereon in systematic arrange- 
ment. Men running to and fro; motor cars rush- 
ing back and forth; aeroplanes in every direction 
one cast a glance. 

It seemed hardly credible that in this short space 
of time so many and divers machines could possibly 
have been invented to successfully accomplish the 
mastery of the air. Yet there they were: Bleriot 
monoplanes, Farman biplanes, twin-motor Cau- 
drons, Nieuports, De Havilands, Spads, great 
bombing machines, small single-seaters, reconnais- 
sance avions, battle planes. 

From overhead flashed the polished wings ; came 
the steady humming of a million million bees, and 
on the field, about the barracks, machine-shops and 
hangars, most every class and kind of uniform serv- 
299 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

ing under the allied colors might easily have been 
found. 

It was such a scene of color and animation as to 
stir the most sluggish blood in the veins of man, 
and to Gregory Mason, just returned from three 
months’ fighting over the front lines, it almost ap- 
peared as home, for at one time during his career 
he had spent many happy days of his time as a 
member of the Lafayette Escadrille receiving valu- 
able instruction here previous to his assignment to 
active duty in the actual zone of hostilities. Twice 
disabled he was again returning to render such as- 
sistance as he might at this famous field for flyers 
in final training and under French tutelage. 

Every man who mounted to the pilot’s seat on 
this field was already a qualified aviator in his own 
country’s service and also had received the appro- 
bation of their French instructors at this finishing 
school. The work done at this immense plant con- 
sisted chiefly in squadron work, manoeuvers in large 
bodies, and flying, flying, flying, till the art was 
almost as natural and instinctive to them as to the 
birds winging their way over the fresh green fields 
and vying, even excelling, them in some of their 
loops and spins and turns. 

“ Hello, Gregory, glad to see you back with us, 
though mighty sorry because of the reason which 
brought you.” 


300 


U. S. MARINE 


Gregory Mason turned and smilingly greeted a 
tall, good-looking youth in the uniform of a United 
States Army Aviator who stood in a near-by group 
of Americans watching with avid interest the 
spirited scenes transpiring before their eyes. 

“ Hello, Don, it’s good to see you too after these 
months. What’s the matter, won’t they let you get 
away from here ever? I tell you, son, it doesn’t 
pay to have too much knowledge. Now if you were 
merely a plain ' li’l’ ole ’ pilot like myself you might 
have been mixed up in livelier experiences than 
graduating the other fellow and sending him along 
to pick up the glory and a few hard knocks,” and 
Mason extended his hand in greeting as he limped 
toward the group. 

“ Oh, it’s not so bad, Greg. I’ve had my own 
little air parties off and on, and besides it’s rather 
nice to think of having a hand in the making of aces 
even though I’m not one myself,” replied Donald 
Barry, showing his white teeth in a grin of apprecia- 
tion. “ But come over here and meet some of the 
fellows. I’ve told them about you and they are all 
anxious to know the chap who could make that 
wonderful flight over Germany and return to tell 
the story of it.” 

Introductions quickly followed, and for a while 
the conversation was general, but finally the driz- 
zling rain which had continued since early morning 
301 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

drove them to shelter and the group broke up into 
parties of twos and threes as they wended their way 
to the various barracks. 

Gregory Mason, Donald Barry and a youngster 
in the uniform of a lieutenant of the United 
States Marine Corps were soon hurrying along 
together. 

‘‘ Guess I didn’t catch your name, Lieutenant,” 
said Mason, turning to the officer. 

“ ’Sense me, Greg, perhaps I failed to introduce 
you. This is Henry Cabell of the INIarines — a 
graduate of the Naval Academy, and an old chum 
of an old chum of mine, Dick Comstock, also in the 
Marines and over here in France somewhere. Ca- 
bell hears that Dick’s regiment is down Verdun 
way, but it’s as hard to find anyone these days as it 
is the proverbial needle in the haystack. The only 
way is to wait long enough and you’re bound to run 
across ’em. For you do, sooner or later, it seems to 
me.” 

“ Dick Comstock! ” exclaimed Gregory. “ Why, 
I ” 

“ What, you know him too? ” inquired Henry, his 
face indicative of the interest Gregory’s exclama- 
tion had called forth. “ Have you seen him lately? 
Do you know where he is? ” 

“ Come along into the quarters and I’ll give you 
the story,” replied Mason, and at that they turned 
302 


J7. S, MARINE 

in at the entrance to one of the long barracks build- 
ings. 

After all three were comfortably seated, he con- 
tinued ; 

“No, I don’t know your friend nor where he is, 
but I’ve heard a lot about him from a friend of 
mine and incidentally, together with this friend I 
went chasing all over France, so it seemed to me, on 
a motor-cycle about four months ago in futile chase 
after Dick Comstock’s sister.” 

“ Ursula Comstock? ” both Don and Henry 
asked breathlessly. 

“ Yes, Miss Comstock and a friend of hers, a 
Miss Faure ; but suppose I tell you the entire story 
from the beginning.” 

Thereupon Gregory related all that he knew of 
the spiriting away of the two girls from St. Na- 
zaire and ended up his narrative, saying; 

“ I never did hear how the affair turned out. 
Right after coming back to camp I asked for as- 
signment and left the very same day. Frank Rich- 
ards may have found the girls and that German 
spy — Gottlieb von Etten, as he calls him, but if so 
I have never received word from Frank, though he 
may have written.” 

“ What was the name of the spy? ” questioned 
Donald before Henry had a chance to put in a 
word. 


303 


LIEUTENANT C03IST0CK 

‘‘ Gottlieb von Etten,” was the answer. 

“ Well, I’ll be jiggered,” exclaimed Donald, ris- 
ing hurriedly to his feet. “ It all fits in to a T. I 
must tell this news to the Commandant tout de 
suite /" ' 

“ Before you go toot-sweeting out of here, my 
friend, you loosen up and tell us what this sudden 
rush means,” remonstrated Mason, grabbing Don 
good-naturedly about the waist and throwing him 
back on the bunk upon which he had been seated. 
“ You can’t pull anything on us like that, can he, 
Cabell? ” 

‘‘ Over my dead body,” announced Henry, laugh- 
ing heartih^, so Donald was forced to “ loosen up ” 
as he was told. 

“ I’ll hurry it then, for really this whole thing is 
important and may have an intimate bearing on the 
Commandant’s plans. Two days ago while I was 
making a flight with one of the new arrivals, I took 
a chance and though against regs * we made a sight- 
seeing tour over Paris. On our way home I felt a 
sudden blow on my head. My helmet protected me 
and I was not in the least hurt and the next mo- 
ment a dead homing pigeon dropped at my feet in 
the pit. On landing I examined the bird and found 

^ Immediately. 

* Regulations. It was forbidden to fly over Paris, but aviators 
from near-by flying fields delighted in disobeying the orders in this 
particular. 


304 


[ 7 . S. MARINE 


a message attached which proved to be written in 
German. Now whether the senders had grown 
careless because of their recent victories or not I am 
unable to state, but the message was not in cypher 
and easily capable of translation though of course 
we couldn’t fathom its real significance. I turned 
the dead bird and the message over to the Com- 
mandant and ” 

“ What did the message say? ” inquired Henry. 

“ When translated it read as follows — wait — I 
have a copy of it and you both may read it for your- 
selves.” 

Donald took a folded sheet of paper from his 
coat pocket and handed it over to the other two, 
from which when spread out on the bunk, they read: 

“ Kappan, Fieburger, Eichorn and Schmidt 
reach chateau night of 25th if possible to make land- 
ing. Four French machines. Your work is ended. 
Disperse at once. Bring Volkner and two women 
spies. Kappan has orders and commands. Do not 
fail to bring documents. Have field well marked. 
If landing impossible 25th be prepared at any 
time.” 

“ The message was addressed to a Colonel Gott- 
lieb von Etten,” sup]3lemented Donald, “ and was 
signed by a person of extremely high rank whose 
troops are right now driving the French and En- 
glish back so steadily north of Rheims.” 

305 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ Those four men named are among the best 
aviators in the Prussian army to-day,” announced 
Mason. “ I believe by piecing our bits of informa- 
tion together we can approximate a good guess as 
to what it is all about.” 

“ Suppose I tell you what flashed through my 
mind while you told about your exciting chase on 
the motor-cycle,” said Donald, “ and then each of 
you give me your version if it differs ? ” 

“ Good.” “ Go ahead,” replied Henry and 
Gregory simultaneously. 

“ This spy, von Etten, is at some chateau in 
France with the two girls still in his custody. An- 
other spy named Volkner is with him and they still 
have the papers which Greg’s friend Richards is 
after. Von Etten’s work is completed and he is 
ordered back. To-day is the twenty-fifth and the 
four aviators are coming over in French planes to- 
night to fetch them.” 

“ I’m inclined to believe,” remarked Henry, 
“ that there are more than two spies implicated, 
otherwise the message would not say ‘ disperse at 
once,’ and also that there must be a field suitable 
for landing convenient to this chateau.” 

‘‘ Yes, I think that too,” added Gregory, “ and I 
also think this place is not far from us and not far 
from Paris, because it was near here that Richards 
and I first picked up the trail of the big touring car 
306 


V. S. MARINE 

on its way to St. Nazaire and we also lost them in 
the same locality. I vote that we take a spin even 
in this rain and try and locate it. By Jove ! I’ll bet 
the hole in a doughnut I know the place right now. 
It used to be a private race-track and it’s right in 
the middle of the prettiest, thickest, little old forest 
you’ve set eyes on in a dog’s age. Why, it’s almost 
in our dooiyard, so to speak, and there’s an old 
chateau not a quarter of a mile distant. Yea, bo! 
but those Heinies have some gall to come flying 
around this bee’s nest in French machines and dash- 
ing off with spies, and ladies, and secret papers, 
’n’ everything. I sure admire their nerve.” 

“ The very boldness and brazenness of it is prob- 
ably what made it safe,” asserted Donald, “ but 
come on, let us all go to the Commandant and re- 
port to him this additional information, and if he 
decides to take a hand in it, I will see that all three 
of us have a share in the fun.” 

‘‘ But supposing he decides to do nothing? ” 
questioned Henry. 

“ I hardly believe he will do that — but he may 
turn it over to the Paris authorities,” replied Don- 
ald. 

“ Then I propose that we don’t see him,” said 
Henry, and his eyes shone with the fire of enthu- 
siasm and excitement, while his southern drawl was 
scarcely noticeable. “ I propose that we attend to 

307 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

this little matter ourselves. If we succeed, we suc- 
ceed; if we don’t then let us take the consequences.” 

“ But do you believe it would be right to ” 

began Donald Barry, the careful, methodical one. 

“ I believe that if we three Americans can’t han- 
dle this matter in every way better than a lot of 
these hand-waving, jabber- jabbering Frenchmen, 
then it’s time for us to pack up our toys and go 
home,” replied Henry. 

“ I second the motion,” shouted Gregory. 

“ And I propose we make it unanimous,” added 
Donald, “ so come on, let’s get busy with our ideas 
and plans and waste no more time.” 

“ That’s the way with that fellow,” said Gregory, 
winking at Henry, “ whenever you once get him 
started, the whole French and English armies com- 
bined can’t stop him.” 

Fifteen minutes later and long before dusk these 
three conspirators left their quarters to carry out 
the results of their preliminary conference. 

“ Here go ‘ The Three Mus-kee-ters,’ ” ex- 
claimed Gregory, as the drizzling rain struck him 
in the face on stepping out of the barrack room 
door. 


308 


CHAPTER XXII 


INTO THE SHADOWS 

As the crow flies, not so many miles north and 
east of Paris, the second German offensive had been 
carried through successfully. The first offensive of 
this momentous year of nineteen eighteen had be- 
gun on March 21st, and with thunderous, hammer- 
like blows the hordes of Prussia pounded their way 
forward, ruthlessly — relentlessly. 

Eight days from the firing of the first great gun 
of the battle the Allies had been pushed backward, 
even across the old battlefields of the Somme. 
Fifty-six kilometers — thirty-five miles, along the 
entire front — before the tired, outnumbered French 
and English were able to get another toe-hold and 
stubbornly stay the further progress of the victory- 
elated enemy. The reserves of these two nations 
had been drawn upon to despairing numbers, and 
it seemed as though ultimate defeat stared them in 
the face unless 

And after the word, “ unless,” what? 

Unless those almost untried, new armies of the 
United States could be thrown into the breach. 

The eyes of the whole world began turning upon 
these troops from across the seas. Could they be 

309 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


got ready in time? And if ready would they be 
strong enough, powerful enough, brave enough, to 
turn the tide — to stem it even, until these battle- 
tired and tried, war-skilled troops, ever falling back, 
could recuperate their depleted ranks, and rest long 
enough to reenter the conflict with their old-time, 
well-tested skill and endurance? 

There was a short respite after the weary lines 
near Amiens halted the first onslaught, then came a 
second attack launched on April 9th at the British 
holding the line near Armentiers and the Lys River, 
and back once again rolled the Allied forces. 

Something drastic must happen and soon. No 
one could foretell the future, but on the other side 
of the Rhine there was rejoicing, while in Paris, on 
the banks of the Seine, consternation reigned. 
Again the voice of the French was raised in their 
famous words flung at the foe at Verdun four years 
before — “ They shall not pass yet they could not 
but sense the futility of their great struggle, 
and perhaps beneath their sobbing, straining breasts 
they added another phrase which might have read 
— ‘‘ except over the lines of our dead heroes.” 

However, in the back areas, ever drawing nearer, 
the troops were on the move. The Yankees were 
gathering, and they must furnish the “ forlorn 
hope ” — the vanguard of any new offensive, the 
safeguard for the defensive. Already the 26th Di- 
310 


[7. S, MARINE 

vision of the United States Army at Seichprey had 
shown some of the metal of which these tyros in the 
great game of war were made, and the coming 



Rough map showing how the German attack on the British be- 
ginning March 21, 1918, resulted, 1111111 represents the line 

on March 21, =:=- = = the line on March 23, and 

where the British finally held them hack on March 24. The 
dotted line at the left shows where the Germans reached as their 
limit of advance on September 6, 1914. The arrow points the 
direction in which Paris lies seventy-six miles away and the 
“ Big Bertha ’’ which threw hostile shell into the French Capital 
was located in the Forest of St. Gobain near LaFere. One inch 
on this map is approximately equal to 15 miles on the ground. 

month would see the First Division brilliantly in 
action at Cantigny; but now — at the present hour, 
along the lines back of the trenches where the Allies 

3II 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

kept watch and ward the outlook was one of bleak 
despair and disappointment, and though no man 
said the words, they seemed to see them emblazoned 
in red, glaring letters on the deep-scarred, shell- 
streaked, pock-marked reaches of No Man’s Land 
— ^Defeat, Defeat. 

Along the roads leading toward Paris came the 
tread of marching feet, the roll of wheels, the “ rum- 
bling roar ” of the guns and caissons trundling for- 
ward. Called from the reserves all along the battle 
lines to the east; taken from training areas far from 
the sounds of the artillery’s roar; collected from the 
safe and secure duties of S. O. S. at the rear, the 
forces were gathering; infantry, artillery, pioneers, 
cavalry, marching on to sectors from whence they 
might be conveniently thrown into the fray ; and of 
these long lines of men, the fresh, eager faces of the 
American troops were mostly in evidence. They 
were about the only ones left, and the spirit of battle 
waxed strong within their veins. As yet untutored 
in the horrors of actual encounter, they marched 
with eager step, singing, whistling, laughing, on and 
ever on. 

As the head of one of these long lines of gladi- 
ators soon to enter the terrible arena reached the 
home of little Pierre on the direct road to Paris 
word was passed for a halt. 

In spite of soggy ground and rain-soaked cloth- 
312 


U. S. MARINE 


ing and equipment, with one accord the marchers 
sat down on the low embankment at either side of 
the road to rest. They were tired. The march had 
been long, and though the evening shadows were 
falling there were still many kilometers to cover 
before reaching their destination. 

The colonel in command and his aides were study- 
ing a map of the district. A French officer, at- 
tached to the regiment, was addressing the colonel. 

“ If monsieur is willing to subject his men to a 
rough piece of road, I can assure him of a speedier 
end to the journey,” he was saying. 

“ Yes, and how? ” inquired the colonel, looking 
attentively at the speaker. 

“ By taking this unfrequented path or road 
through the Foret Marin we cut off at least six 
kilometers, sir. It is merely a question of five kilo- 
meters of extremely rough marching and one kilo- 
meter of excellent road as compared with twelve, if 
we continued the present route.” 

“ And you state it saves us that much? ” 

“Yes, mon Colonel/" 

“We will march by your route then. Captain. 
My men can stand it. They are the hardest hiking 
marines I’ve seen in twenty years’ service, with the 
possible exception of the companies stationed 
around Olongapo in the Philippines during 1917 
and 1912.” 


313 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


“ Yes, they are wonderful,” murmured the 
Frenchman, his face lighting with heartfelt admira- 
tion, and then he added: “ I had always associated 
the marines of your service with your sailor class — 
with the ‘ Flatfoot,’ as your men call them, and did 
not think them capable of protracted marches.” 

“ Some day. Captain, when we have stopped this 
war and driven the Boche back under the Lindens 
of Berlin, I reckon you must learn more of the 
United States Marine,” smiled Colonel Waverly. 

“It is my belief, Colonel, that long before the 
war is over I will have learned much more of them, 
and I know all will be to their credit,” and the 
French officer returned the smile of his superior. 

Turning to one of his aides Colonel Waverly 
gave orders for the regiment to have their evening 
meal at once before resuming the march. It was 
nearly dark when the men again fell into ranks, and 
the crossroad leading past the Chateau Marin 
trembled to the tread of marching columns and roll- 
ing wheels. 

Overhead during the halt a large avion hovered 
for a moment and then was lost in the mist and dis- 
tance, but not before the sharp-eyed pilots of the 
machine and his two observers had spied the troops 
as they first halted in the road beneath, and not 
many minutes later when a landing had been made 
in their aviation field, the three occupants of this 

314 


U. S. MARINE 


particular avion began conjecturing as to what 
army this one regiment belonged. 

“ Reckon they may be some of the troops that are 
being concentrated about here/’ remarked Henry 
Cabell. ‘‘ If I didn’t feel certain we three could 
pull off this party without help I’d have been much 
inclined to drop down and ask the officer command- 
ing to surround the chateau and capture the whole 
outfit. If they followed that road through the for- 
est they could easily reach the old chateau in a short 
time. However, I am just stingy enough to want 
to claim at least one-third of the glory of our enter- 
prise to-night for myself, and goodness knows when 
a like opportunity will be offered us.” 

“ I agree with you, Cabell,” responded Donald, 
and then added: “ Do either of you think there is 
any doubt about its being the right place? ” 

“ Not the least in the world,” said Gregory, “ and 
the only thing I regret is that my game leg makes 
me so useless.” 

“ Never mind, Greg,” returned Donald, “ you 
will have as important a part as any of us. I only 
hope we have picked ourselves for the right men. 
From the way the thing reads I imagine that Kap- 
pan is the only chap who has paid that place a visit. 
He is named as being in command.” 

“ Don’t borrow trouble, Don, and don’t let us 
waste time with standing here and chewing the rag. 

315 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


I want to chew on something more substantial be- 
fore we start out, and weVe not much time to get 
our traps together and get off again. It may not 
be as rotten a night as we feared. The rain has 
practically ceased and the moon may come out. 
I’m positive we can make the landing no matter 
whether the place is lighted or not.” 

“ Right you are, Cabell ; it sure is a pretty spot,” 
added Gregory. “ Funny, but I’ve seen it often 
while making flights in that direction, but being so 
surrounded by the woods it never entered my head 
to think of it as a probable landing-field, and I flat- 
ter myself I’ve a fair eye for that sort of thing, too.” 

“No need to tell us, old top,” spoke up Donald, 
“ your record speaks for itself. As for eating, I am 
really so excited that I don’t believe I can eat a 
thing.” 

However, it was noticeable that the generous 
helpings of food disappeared with celerity before all 
three of the healthy young men when a few minutes 
later they were seated at the mess table. Then 
came a hurried visit to quarters, the strapping of 
automatic pistols to their sides, changing of certain 
parts of their uniforms, and finally a call at the shed 
where machine-gun ammunition was stored ready 
for use, and inside of an hour three big avions were 
rising from the camp without having stated where 
they were going and without having received the 
316 


[7. S. MARINE 

necessary permission of the officer in charge of the 
flying field. 

At about this time Colonel Gottlieb von Etten 
was eating his dinner in solitary state at the Chateau 
Marin, when there came a knock at the open door 
and Wilhelm entered to announce that Lieutenant 
Volkner was outside, waiting to report. 

“ Tell him to come in at once,” commanded von 
Etten, and turning to the waiter he directed him to 
draw a chair up to the table, pour out a glass of wine 
for the Lieutenant and then to retire. 

“ Sit down. Lieutenant,” he ordered as Volkner 
approached. “ You may go, Carl. Leave the bot- 
tle on the table and never mind the dishes until later. 
Do not come unless I ring for you. We do not 
wish to be disturbed.” 

Outside in the hallway Wilhelm clapped Carl on 
the back. 

“ Hurry, man, and take your provisions to the 
garage quarters. I will go after the bottles of 
champagne at once and fetch them over myself. 
Mein Herr will be busy inside for the next hour at 
least. The coast is clear,” he said, and then hurried 
off and down the steps leading to the cellars. 

Von Etten spoke as soon as the door had closed 
behind Carl. 

“ Has the other pigeon come in? ” 

“ No, Colonel, I’m just from the cote, and there 

317 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

are no new arrivals. Perhaps the statement in the 
message you received is a mistake. Perhaps but 
one bird was released after all.” 

“ Our general staff do not make errors of that 
nature, Lieutenant Volkner,” came the cutting re- 
ply from von Etten; then he paused and added less 
sharply, “ at least, if they do, these recent victories 
have gone to their heads and they have lost their 
reason.” 

“ Yet you must acknowledge, sir, that it was 
worse than foolhardy to send such a message as they 
did in duplicate with not even a coded word in the 
entire thing.” 

“ Some drunken aide, most likely,” returned the 
Colonel. “ Yes, I cannot understand it, and even 
though our pigeons are wonderful flyers, accidents 
are bound to happen. If that message fell into the 
hands of the enemy by some lucky accident they 
might discover our whereabouts. I am thankful we 
have.not longer to wait. Kappan and the rest may 
arrive now at any hour. When last I looked the 
rain was ceasing and it seemed to be clearing up a 
bit. Are the men ready with the lights at the 
track? ” 

“All is prepared, sir,” replied Volkner, sipping at 
his wine, “ and by the way, an avion was hovering 
over the forest late this evening. It may have been 
one of our men and looking to see if all was secure. 

318 


V. S. MARINE 


However, with so many machines about showing the 
French colors, it is difficult to be certain. They 
gave us no sign. As to fear of discovery, Mein 
Herr, I hardly think that likely, for if the other 
message has miscarried it would merely set them 
guessing. There is nothing to go upon — ^nothing 
to fasten suspicion on this quiet old house.” 

While von Etten and his lieutenant talked 
strange things were transpiring within the walls of 
the old chateau. 

From the shadow of the balcony around the cen- 
tral hall two bright pairs of eyes watched Carl 
bringing the courses of the supper to the ColoneFs 
table. 

From the apartment which von Etten had chosen 
to use as a dining-room it was necessary to cross the 
hallway in order to reach the kitchen and scullery. 
Through the open door of the room streamed a 
broad path of light illuminating the last few treads 
of the grand staircase leading to the floor above, and 
so long as the door was open the two girls, who 
tremblingly watched from above, did not dare to 
tempt Fate by essaying a descent. The lights in 
the hall were hardly adequate to illumine the lower 
floor and on the gallery no light was burning. The 
door to the library, their present goal, was closed. 
Was it locked? They did not believe so, for when 
von Etten had been summoned to his repast he had 
319 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

not turned any key, and it was hardly probable that 
there would be spring locks on any of the doors of 
Chateau INIarin. 

Then came the summons at the front door and the 
departure of the two servants. At last the door 
was closed and the way clear. 

Like two dark shadows Ursula and Marie stole 
down the marble staircase. As they passed the 
door, which at any moment they feared would open 
and flood the hallway with light, they heard the 
voice of von Etten raised in angry discussion. 
With a rush of stockinged feet they reached the 
library door, turned the glass knob, and the next 
moment they were in the room and the door was 
closed softly behind them. 

“ Oh, Ursula, I’m so frightened,” whispered 
Marie. 

“ Don’t think of it, Marie; so am I; but we must 
think only of what we are to do. Is there a key on 
this side of the door? No? Oh, dear! I had 
hoped there would be. And the fire is out, too. 
You know we thought to discover the catalogue and 
find the shelf where the books are by the firelight.” 

While she was whispering, Ursula advanced into 
the center of the room, with Marie hanging to the 
back of her dress. She now walked toward the 
table dimly outlined against the lesser darkness be- 
yond the low French windows. 

320 


U. S, MARINE 


“ If we can’t find matches on the desk, then we 
must start in without a light and search for the pa- 
pers,” she whispered. 

Reaching the desk she passed her eager hands 
over its surface without reward. 

“ Come, let us open the draperies at the windows. 
I believe the moon is breaking through the clouds 
and that will aid us a little,” she breathed hopefully 
in INIarie’s ear. 

While Marie attended to this Ursula quietly un- 
fastened one of the doors to the window. 

“We will be ready to escape from here if we are 
interrupted,” she said. “ Now go and listen at the 
door and I will start on the books. We have not a 
second to lose.” 

Marie had taken one step forward when both girls 
were horrified to see the door to the hall open and 
close like a flash. In their extreme danger and ter- 
ror they were prevented from making any revealing 
exclamation, but stood rooted to the spot. 

It was certain someone beside themselves was in 
the room, yet not a sound could they hear. The 
silence seemed more oi)pressive than would some 
tangible evidence of the other’s presence. 

Ursula was the first to recover her wits, and 
reaching before her she gently grasped the younger 
girl by the arm and as quietly as a ghost she drew 
the window draperies around them both. Her ac- 
321 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

tion was none too soon, for as the folds of the cur- 
tain settled into place a shaft of light swept quickly 
over the room and its four walls and as quickly dis- 
appeared. 

In spite of their fast-beating hearts, the two girls 
heard soft, shuffling footsteps cross the room. Mov- 
ing the curtain slowly to one side Ursula peeped 
around the edge. The shaft of light settled on one 
of the shelves at a fixed point and stayed there. 
Who was it holding the light? She did not know 
and could not see, but she was certain it was a man. 
Now a hand appeared in the path of the dim rays. 
A leather-bound book was removed and the next 
instant she saw a bundle of papers taken from the 
shelf, and the light was turned off, accentuating the 
darkness of the room more than ever. 

Here, then, were the documents which would in- 
volve her country in even greater trouble than it was 
at present should their contents be made public — 
the documents which she and Marie had so bravely 
tried to procure, which Ninon for weary months had 
longed to find, and for which Frank Richards had 
been sent across the ocean to recover. Into whose 
hands had they now fallen? What could she do to 
stop this unloiown person from stealing them from 
under her very nose? 

Again the sound of scuffling feet. They were 
coming toward the window. A short flash of light, 

313 


t7. S, MARINE 


and she saw by its glow the dark smock worn by the 
peasantry of France. Yes, it was a man, and he, 
too, was planning to escape by the same way she 
and Marie had planned. In her hand Ursula now 
held the small automatic pistol which Dick had 
given her. 

She knew that not a single cartridge was behind 
its threatening muzzle, but she must make the at- 
tempt to stop this thief, now or never. Already the 
man was fmnbling at the window. In a second he 
would be gone. Ursula heard his breath coming 
and going in quick gasps from his throat. He evi- 
dently was as excited as either she or IMarie. 

Silently and swiftly the girl took a step forward 
and placing the cold muzzle of her pistol at the back 
of the intruder’s neck, she said in as manlike a voice 
as she could command : 

“ Stox3 ! Throw up your hands ! ” 

There followed the sound of splintering glass. 
The window was thrown violently open, and as Ur- 
sula made a futile attempt to grab at the figure in 
the dark she saw the dim form jump over the low 
casement and lose itself in the shadows outside. 

The sound of a bell ringing violently in the hall- 
way. A door was thrown open with a bang. Run- 
ning feet crossed the hall to be followed by excited 
voices as the front portal was flung open. Ursula 
waited for nothing more. 

323 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


“ Come, Marie, through the window. We must 
escape. The papers have been stolen.” 

There was the swish of skirts, and then across the 
wet lawn the two girls stumbled toward the shelter 
of the woods, expecting every moment to hear the 
explosion of firearms at their backs and the sounds 
of active pursuit. 

But nothing happened. They gained the shelter 
of the forest and stopping long enough to put on 
their stout shoes which each had tied about her neck 
before leaving their erstwhile prison chamber, they 
were soon struggling blindly past the trunks of the 
tall trees, and hoping they were leaving behind 
them forever the hated chateau and their detested 
jailers. 


324 


CHAPTER XXIII 


A YEW SURPRISES 

The rapid ringing of the door-bell at the main 
entrance to the chateau brought the two officers to 
their feet instantly, and, without waiting for any of 
the house servants to answer the summons, von Et- 
ten hurried from the dining-room, crossed the hall 
and flung open the portal. 

Unceremoniously one of the guards sprang 
through the entrance and slammed the door shut 
behind him. 

“A regiment of Yankees is coming along the road 
toward the chateau, sir,” he announced between 
gasps of breath. He had been running hard and 
fast to deliver his news. 

“What! Americans! A regiment coming here? 
Where are they? How do you know this?” and 
von Etten, thoroughly excited, took the man by the 
shoulders and began shaking him as if he hoped by 
this action to better enable him to explain this seem- 
ingly impossible thing. 

“ Pardon, Mein Herr, but perhaps when the fel- 
low gets his wind back he will be able to talk,” 
quietly suggested Volkner, who was a man not 

325 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

easily disturbed from his quiet calm at any tid- 
ings. 

Von Etten glared at the speaker but consented to 
wait with what patience he could muster while the 
guard recovered his breathy and then listened care- 
fully to his words. 

“ The regiment is United States Marine In- 
fantry, sir. It was marching on the road toward 
Paris. When the head of the column reached the 
charcoal burner’s house near the crossroad, the 
troops halted for supper. On resuming the march, 
a short while back, they turned off the main road 
and are now not more than a kilometer distant. 
The telephone from my post has grounded. I 
could not get the garage station. Fearing to wait 
longer, I ran here to report to you direct. The 
troops being already on the road when I started, 
I was forced to make my way through the forest. 
It was difficult going most of the distance, 
sir.” 

“ Do you know why they come this way? ” 

“ No, Mein Herr, but there was a French officer 
with the officer commanding, and during the halt 
they consulted a map. Not until the march began 
again did I have an inkling as to their sudden 
change of direction.” 

“ This is the first time I have heard of troops 
using the chateau road since we have been here. It 
326 


U. S. MARINE 


is known to be in bad repair and they avoid it. Do 
you suppose there is anything to be feared from 
this move? ” and now the Colonel directed his query 
at Lieutenant Volkner. 

“ I hardly think it likely, sir, but it is strange to 
say the least. I cannot forget the missing pigeon 
and the message it carried,” was the answer. 

“ Nor can I,” said von Etten. “ Hasten, we 
must darken all the lights. If they know nothing 
they may pass by, whereas burning lights might at- 
tract unnecessary attention. Call Wilhelm and 
Carl at once to assist you. I will see to the rooms 
above,” and, suiting action to his words, he bounded 
up the marble steps to the gallery. 

On taking the right-hand turn von Etten paused 
a moment before the door to the room so long occu- 
pied by Ursula and Marie, then forgetful of the 
fact that the door was always locked on his prisoners 
at this hour, he turned the knob. 

Not until he was in the room did he realize that 
something was wrong. Wilhelm had failed to lock 
up the Frauleins — but had he? The room was in 
darkness, and it did not need the match he lighted to 
tell the now thoroughly enraged German that it was 
empty of occupants. 

Dashing out into the hall he leaned over the bal- 
cony and bellowed for Wilhelm at the top of his 
voice. 


327 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


“ Wilhelm cannot be found — he is not here, sir,” 
came the answer in the voice of Volkner. 

“Not there? Where in the name of all the saints 
can he be? There is more to all this than we know, 
Volkner. The young women have escaped,” and 
the speaker glared over the railing at the upturned 
faces of those below, now augmented by the rotund 
features of the man Carl who had come hurrying 
from the direction of the scullery in response to the 
calls, and who looked rather white and scared for 
fear his own absence had been observed. 

For a moment silence reigned in the great hall, 
and then a furtive knocking attracted all eyes from 
their master back to the front entrance. 

“ Donner wetter/" growled von Etten as he ran 
down the staircase. “ Come! we must open the 
door, else, their summons disregarded, they break 
in. Remember, everyone, to speak in French. We 
do not understand English. Open the door, 
Carl.” 

Even as he gave the order he saw two or three 
guards, with Gustave in the lead, step into the hall- 
way from the direction of the kitchen. They were 
armed and their presence would certainly arouse 
suspicion. 

“ Quick, Gustave, hide yourself and the others 
behind the well of the staircase,” he called, and then 
the great door was opened and in walked two offi- 
328 


U. S. MARINE 


cers dressed in the uniform of French Army avia- 
tors, accompanied by one of Colonel von Etten’s 
own men whose face was wreathed in complaisant 
smiles as though he were proud of the importance 
and honor of his mission. 

He at once approached his master, halted and 
saluted as though he was on parade. 

“ Herr Lieutenants Schmidt and Eichorn of His 
Serene Majesty’s air service wish to report to you, 
sir.” 

For the fraction of a second Colonel von Etten, 
hardened though he was to sudden changes of situa- 
tions, had difficulty in controlling himself and keep- 
ing from displaying to all present how much the 
events of the last ten minutes had momentarily un- 
nerved him, but with a supreme effort he motioned 
for the two officers to come forward, which they did 
together, and in unison brought their hands stiffly 
up and outward to the leather visors of their hel- 
mets, which nearly covered their faces, in formal 
salute. 

“ Where is Lieutenant Kappan, likewise Lieu- 
tenant Fieberger? ” 

Von Etten, again himself, snapped out the ques- 
tion wolfishly. It was the officer called Schmidt 
who acted as spokesman. 

“ Lieutenant Kappan had engine trouble and was 
forced to land for repairs before we crossed our own 

329 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

lines,” he answered. “ Lieutenant Fieberger is 
watching the planes at the race-course.” 

“ And were the orders turned over to you, sir? ” 

“ There was no time for that. Kappan has the 
orders in writing, but we all are familiar with their 
contents and are here to carry them out by His 
Majesty’s command.” 

“ But you must have credentials of some sort. 
Lieutenant,” insisted von Etten. 

“ None, Herr Colonel. We were ordered to 
leave behind us all identifications of any nature be- 
cause of the importance of our mission, and may I 
remind you, sir, that we must lose no time. That 
every moment of delay will add to our difficulties. 
The weather is clearing. The moon is out full, and 
we have noted in coming here that the Paris air 
patrol is unusually active to-day in spite of unfavor- 
able weather conditions. So, Mein Herr, for the 
sake of caution, I advise getting the women at once 
and that we prepare to leave here. Our three ma- 
chines can take all four of you. I was given to un- 
derstand that you would be ready to depart imme- 
diately.” 

Colonel von Etten was fencing for time. How 
could he explain the absence of his two women 
prisoners satisfactorily? What excuses could he 
offer when he arrived at Headquarters? 

‘‘ I am ready, sir, but tell me. Lieutenant, how 
330 


U. S. MARINE 

you found the field so easily, never having been here 
before.” 

“ If the Colonel will but recall my name and 
record, sir, I may venture to state that no expla- 
nation should be necessary,” answered Schmidt, 
somewhat haughtily. 

“ Arrest those two spies ! ” 

Had one of the great shells from Big Bertha ex- 
ploded in the old chateau it could not have caused 
more consternation and astonishment than these 
words roared in German through the open door, by 
a short, thick-set officer in French uniform, who at 
the instant sprang into the hallway with drawn 
pistol, followed in turn by three other men attired 
in the gray-blue tunics of France, and four or five 
men in civilian clothing, members of the chateau’s 
force of guards. 

Instantly the place was a scene of wild confusion. 
The two accused men standing within a yard of von 
Etten when the startling command rang out, 
seemed to grasp the situation without a second’s 
thought. With the others present they had 
glanced toward the open door at the words, and 
at the same instant they saw more armed men ap- 
pearing from behind the staircase. Everywhere but 
directl}^ ahead of them their way to escape seemed 
cut off. 

“ Up the stairs with you, Cabell,” sang out the 

331 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

one who had purported to be the man Schmidt, 
only he now spoke rapidly in English, and at the 
same time he sprang at von Etten, shoved that now 
entirely overcome personage to one side of his path, 
then swiftly turning him about and grasping the 
light figure by the wrists he actually hung the 
German over his back so that his face was toward 
those in the hall and with incredible strength and 
swiftness Donald Barry followed Henry Cabell up 
the flight of marble steps. 

Arriving at the first landing where the stairs 
branched to right and left, Don let his burden drop 
and the German went rolling down the steps till he 
reached the bottom, where he remained for a time 
lifeless as a log. 

This sudden and unforeseen action on the part 
of the two Americans stayed the volley of pistol- 
shots which whistled after them a second too late, 
but as von Etten came rolling downward, the short, 
thick-set man, none other than the world-famous 
German ace. Lieutenant Albert Kappan, sprang 
over the body of the Colonel and rushed upwards 
in pursuit, his companions crowding close behind 
him. 

They had reached the landing when a long oaken 
bench was flung over the railing, followed quickly 
by chairs of antique make and heavy construction. 
These unexpected missiles toppled the leaders over 
332 


U. S. MARINE 


backwards on those close in rear and the attackers 
went do\vn in a mass of flying legs and arms, chairs 
and benches. 

“ Throw more stuff on the landing for a barri- 
cade, and come on this way, Don,” shouted Henry, 
darting into a room, the door of which stood open. 

By the moonlight streaming through the win- 
dows they found what they sought and before the 
forces at the foot of the steps had disentangled 
themselves, bedding, chairs, tables and other furni- 
ture were crashing upon the landing, and though 
the barricade did not wholly block the way it would 
be impossible for more than a single person at a 
time to pass there and gain the gallery. 

“ Beat it for the far end, Don, and we can hold 
any number back. I reckon there is only one way 
to get up here.” 

Together they ran out of the room and along the 
iron-railed ledge. As the gallery was narrower at 
the sides than at the ends their progress was in view 
of the Germans below and another volley of shots 
followed their flight, but no harm resulted and they 
reached the broad end landing in safety. 

From this point of vantage the entire hall with 
the exception of that portion directly beneath them 
near the front entrance, and the space behind the 
staircase, was open to their fire. The Germans real- 
izing this and still demoralized from the effects of 
333 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


their disastrous charge now gathered in this one 
place of safety for consultation. So far neither of 
the boys had used their automatics and not know- 
ing what the outcome of this adventure might be 
nor how long it would continue, they were anxious 
to conserve as much as possible their supply of 
ammunition. 

They hoped that Gregory Mason was by now 
well on his way to get help and give the alarm, but 
they could not be certain of this, for they had not 
heard the rattle of machine-gun shots which it had 
been arranged should be the signal if he deemed it 
necessary to warn them of danger. Gregory had 
not failed in his part of the adventure, however. 

When the boys in their planes arrived over the 
forest they had been greeted with the welcome sight 
of the signal lights on the race-course, and without 
mishap one after another made their landing in 
good form. They were instantly surrounded by 
von Etten’s guards. Donald Barry, the most fluent 
linguist of the trio, acted as spokesman. He in- 
stantly discovered that the German air-man, Kap- 
pan, was the only one known to the spies in the 
chateau. His story of an accident and his knowl- 
edge of the events about to transpire established the 
Americans immediately as being all they purported 
to be. He ordered that the three avions be pushed 
to one end of the field and prepared for immediate 
334 


U. S, MARINE 


flight. Gregory, acting the part of the German 
aviator Fieberger, was left behind to give the alarm 
and watch the avions. 

Don and Henry had hardly time to reach the 
chateau, when four more avions alighted in the race- 
course and before he was aware of their dangerous 
proximity, came bounding over the track toward 
Gregory’s machine stationed in the shadows. Evi- 
dently they had shut off their motors and volplaned 
into the field. That these new arrivals were the ex- 
pected Germans, Mason had no room for doubting. 

One of the guards had stayed behind and insisted 
on talking to his supposed fellow countryman, and 
Greg’s knowledge of the language was so poor that 
he was in momentary fear of having to knock the 
loquacious fellow in the head to keep him from dis- 
covering that something was wrong, and now with 
these four additional planes coming full tilt down 
the field trouble was bound to start. 

The leading machine containing Lieutenant 
Kappan no sooner came to a stop than a volley of 
cursing filled the air, and 

“ Why was the field not lighted? ” 

“ What is the meaning of this gross carelessness? 
Where were the guards? ” 

The short, thick-set figure climbed out of his seat 
and kept on raving. Now the guards came running 
from all directions and then it was that the butt of 
335 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


Gregory’s pistol crashed upon the head of his erst- 
while inquisitive admirer. With a clever twist of 
the propeller blades he set his motor going and then 
climbing into the seat as rapidly as his game leg 
would permit he started his machine forward. 

In the moonlight he saw the group of men gath- 
ered about the new arrivals start to run in his di- 
rection, but they were too late. With a rush and 
whirr the bird-like plane shot out of the shadow 
and as it raced toward the men Gregory turned on 
his machine gun mounted over the pilot’s seat and 
sent a shower of bullets crashing into the group. 
Having gained the necessary speed his avion now 
rose gracefully into the air and soon disaj)peared 
over the tall trees of the forest on its way to procure 
the help Mason knew would be sorely needed. 

In the race-track, answer quickly followed query, 
and with a yell of Forwaarts/' Lieutenant Kap- 
pan, followed by the three aviators and the remain- 
ing guards, were speeding along the path to the 
chateau. 


336 


CHAPTER XXIV 


ALWAYS ON THE JOB 

“ I WISH we had a light,” exclaimed Dick, driv- 
ing the sharp point of the iron bar he held in his 
hands against the thick wooden planking of the 
door which confronted him and his two companions. 

It had taken them the entire morning and nearly 
till dusk to prise away the clinging cement from the 
edges of the stone which gave promise of a hole be- 
neath its surface. Frank and Dick had taken turns 
at the work, as it was necessar}^ for one of them to 
hold Pierre on their shoulders to watch for the 
guards who frequently approached the summer- 
house. While they were near, all operations on 
the stone had to be suspended. 

Finally when the work was accomplished and the 
stone removed a flight of steps was revealed leading 
downward to a narrow tunnel of masonry. Creep- 
ing slowly along this underground passage for 
about one hundred yards they came upon a stout 
door and were forced again to use their iron bar. 

It was hot, fatiguing work. The air was foul in 
the tunnel and frequently they were obliged to re- 
turn the entire distance to the summer-house for 
337 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

rest. Night was descending. Hunger and thirst 
were beginning to tell on the strength of all three. 

“ We ought to be nearly through by now,’' said 
Frank. “ I never knew a door could be so thickly 
studded with iron bands and nails. Here, let me 
relieve you for a while, Dick, and you go back for 
fresh air.” 

“ I’ll give her a few more whacks for good meas- 
ure first,” replied Dick, doggedly, and the very 
next blow he struck forced the iron through the 
barrier. 

With a glad cry he renewed his efforts. “ Go 
get Pierre, Frank, while I finish this,” he exclaimed, 
exultantly. “ Gee, Billie Willikins, but the air 
rushing through that opening smells almost as good 
as a porterhouse steak would taste.” 

He was using the bar as a lever now and the 
splintered boards were falling away rapidly. By 
the time the others returned the opening was large 
enough to admit his head and shoulders, and where 
a man can get his head and shoulders he can gen- 
erally follow with the rest of his body. 

“ I hope that the darkness on the other side 
doesn’t mean any more of these darned tunnels,” 
said Frank, but Dick did not hear him. Pie was 
squirming through the opening. 

A moment later he called out softly for Frank 
and Pierre to come along but to make no noise. 
338 


U. S. MAKIXU 


They were in the cellars of the chateau and at the 
far end he had seen a dim light burning. 

The light proved to be a short piece of candle on 
a table placed near a cot between a tier of bottle- 
laden shelves and a row of wine casks. Beyond the 
cot was another heavy door, and to one side they 
noticed a long bundle wrapped in white. 

Dick picked up the candle and they approached 
the door cautiously. As they drew near it there 
came to their quick hearing reports of pistol shots 
— dulled, but unmistakable. A fight of some kind 
was going on in the upper floors of the building. 
While they stood tensely listening to the subdued 
sounds of conflict, Dick noted that the long, white 
object in the shadows near the barrels appeared to 
move. 

“ Hello, look what’s here,” he said, shading his 
candle to get a clearer view. “ Well, I’ll be jig- 
gered, it’s a man, swathed in bandages from head 
to foot.” 

On closer examination they discovered that the 
man’s head was not covered, but a gag had been 
placed in his mouth and bound securely. 

Frank began unwrapping the strips of linen, and 
Dick leaning over his shoulder addressed the man. 

Parlez vous francais? ” 

The eyes closed in assent, and the head nodded 
slightly. 


339 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

“ Well, let me tell you this: we don’t understand 
why you are trussed up here yet, but when we take 
that gag out of your mouth if you make a single 
yelp for assistance your head is going to make 
the acquaintance of this bar. Do you under- 
stand? ” 

Again the eyes closed in affirmation. 

“ Gk) ahead, Frank, and untie him. Here, 
Pierre, take my knife and help cut away that stuff. 
This is no wounded man.” 

They worked rapidly; soon the man sat up 
shakily and leaned against one of the barrels, at the 
same time feeling the back of his head rather 
gingerly. 

“ Now tell what you know,” demanded Dick. 

“ I know nothing, Monsieur. I came to the cel- 
lars to procure some wines for the Colonel — I mean. 
Count Marin. When I opened the door something 
hit me on the head. There is a big lump there even 
yet. The next thing I knew I saw the light of your 
candle shining in my eyes.” 

“ Who hit you? ” 

“I do not know, sir, unless it was one of 
you.” 

“ That’s quite possible,” said Dick, and he winked 
at Frank. “ Do you sleep here in the cellar? ” 

“ No.” 

“ Who does? ” 


340 


U. S. MARINE 

“Why, Frau — I mean Madame Ninon, the 

Count’s housekeeper. You see she ” He 

stopped confused. 

“ Madame who? ” came Frank’s quick question. 

“ Madame Ninon — I mean ” and again he 

stammered and stopped. 

“ What is your name? ” 

“ Wil — Guillaume, sir.” 

“ Do you speak German? ” said Dick, switching 
suddenly from French to the other tongue. 

'' J ah! Ich spreche ” began Wilhelm, and 

then a frightened look came over his face. 

“ Is Colonel von Etten here in the chateau? ” 

“ Yes.” And now Wilhelm was more astonished 
than ever. His head seemed to be going around. 
Who were these strange men? What had hap- 
pened while he lay here unconscious? 

“ Did Frau Schumann knock you on the head? ” 
questioned Dick. 

“ I do not know. Is she not here? But who are 
you? How did you get here? ” 

Wilhelm’s senses were beginning to return, but 
his bewilderment was increasing. Who were these 
men who appeared to know all about von Etten and 
Frau Schumann? He was positive he had not men- 
tioned Ninon’s last name nor her nationality. He 
gazed about him and saw for the first time that the 
door to the cellar was closed and apparently locked. 

341 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

How could these men have gotten into the cellar 
and where could Ninon have gone? 

From the upper regions of the chateau came an- 
other fusillade of shots. 

“ Who is fighting up there? ” and Dick nodded 
toward the door. This time Wilhelm answered 
truthfully. He had no idea what the meaning of 
the noise could be. 

“ I’m going to find out,” said Dick, and started 
toward the door. His attempts to open it ended 
in failure, for it was fastened on the opposite 
side. 

On this side of the door long, flat pieces of iron 
studded to the smooth surface supported the door 
on its hinges. Dick drove the point of his bar un- 
der one of these and began ripping it off. Frank, 
after tying Wilhelm’s wrists behind his back and his 
feet together, left little Pierre acting as guard and 
came over to assist. Approaching the door he 
tripped over a dark object which on examination 
proved to be a woman’s skirt, and near the doorway, 
where hung an assortment of old working clothes 
and peasant’s smocks, he also found a freshly 
ironed apron hanging from a peg. 

“ They had Ninon confined here, right enough,” 
he said, as he lent a hand with the bar which Dick 
was using. “ I believe she knocked that fellow on 
the head somehow, bound him up, then helped her- 
342 


U. S. MARINE 


self to some of those old clothes hanging on the 
pegs and made her escape.’’ 

“ Then she is probably up there with the girls 
now. Come on, Frank, pull hard; this is the last 
hinge,” panted Dick. “ Those old blacksmiths cer- 
tainly knew how to make nails. Perhaps those 
German aviators have arrived and they are trying 
to get the girls out and that’s what the row is about. 
We’ve not a second to lose, Frank. There hasn’t 
been any more firing; t.iey may have carried them 

off or — or ” but Dick could not voice the 

alternative thought that surged to his worried 
mind. 

At last the heavy hinge was forced away. In- 
serting the point of the bar between the back edge 
of the door and the door- jamb a quick wrench 
forced the portal inward. The bolts of the lock bent 
and gave way, and with a bound the two entered 
the passageway leading to the floor above. By the 
dim light from the great hall which shone behind 
the well of the grand staircase they saw a well-worn 
flight of stone steps and at the top of the steps five 
men were standing peering into the gloom from 
whence had come the noise of the falling door which 
Dick and Frank had just forced. 

The faint flickering of the candle in the cellars 
gave no light in the passageway where the two 
American boys were standing, yet for the fraction 
343 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

of a second all concerned might have been carved 
in stone so tense were their attitudes. 

“ Some of the guards/’ whispered Frank. 
“ What had we better do about it? ” 

“ When I count three each of us fire three shots 
and then rush them/’ Dick replied without hesita- 
tion. “ We’ve got to get up to the girls. Are you 
ready? One — two — three.” 

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! 

The six shots sounded like the explosions of a 
young cannon in the vaulted passageway. Two of 
the Germans dropped instantly, the others jumped 
from view with cries of alarm. 

With one accord Dick and Frank rushed along 
the stone-flagged floor and up the uneven steps. As 
they ran they heard other shots in the hallway above 
and as they gained the landing one of the men who 
had essayed to run for the shelter of the overhang- 
ing front gallery came staggering backwards to 
fall into Dick’s arms and then drop limply beside 
his two companions. 

“ Come on, Frank,” yelled Dick, but fortunately 
for him one of the wounded Germans grabbed him 
about the knees. He fell and Frank piled igno- 
miniously on top of him. In falling over Dick, 
Frank’s hat flew off his head out into the lighted 
hall. As he instinctively reached out for it his 
head and shoulders were in view of Henry Cabell 
344 


U. S. MARINE 


and Donald Barry, who were lying on their 
stomachs behind the gallery railing. They had just 
fired at the three guards. Quick as a flash Henry’s 
pistol barked spitefully, and the bullet clipped the 
mosaic flooring near Frank’s hand. 

“ Didn’t get him,” exclaimed Henry in disgust, 
as he saw the man at whom he had fired squirm back 
out of sight. “ There must be some number of them 
behind that staircase.” 

“ I wonder why they ran out of there a minute 
ago,” said Frank, “ and they certainly are trying to 
scare us by firing away a lot of shots at nothing.” 
F or neither of the watchers in the gallery knew the 
reason for the fusillade which had preceded the 
sudden rush from behind the stairs. 

Meanwhile Dick was having a time ridding him- 
self of the detaining arms of the wounded man 
who still clung to him. He was a fat-faced fellow. 
A bullet had grazed his forehead and the blood 
from the wound partly blinded him. 

“ Don’t go, Wilhelm. Don’t go,” he kept repeat- 
ing in German. “ The two Frenchmen in the gal- 
lery will shoot you.” 

Again Dick tried to free himself, but the stout 
German hung on all the tighter and repeated his 
warning. 

“ Frank,” called Dick, nearly beside himself with 
anger, and impatient to render assistance which he 
345 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


felt was being sorely needed, “ help me get rid of 

this fellow. Here; let go, you pig, or I’ll ” 

But just at that moment a new voice was heard 
in the great hallway. 


346 


CHAPTER XXV 


THE MARINES ARRIVE 

On this night when so many exciting incidents 
were transpiring under the gabled roofs of the old 
Chateau Marin, the regiment of marines under 
command of Colonel Waverly was slowly plodding 
along the ill-kept road which passed within a few 
yards of the entrance to the chateau when there 
came several bursts of machine-gun fire off to the 
left flank of the column. 

It sounded so dangerously close that steps were 
immediately instituted to inquire into the matter. 

‘‘Machine-gun fire to our left flank, sir,” re- 
ported the regimental adjutant. 

“ That is peculiar,” exclaimed Colonel Waverly. 
“What do you believe that means?” he inquired 
of the French officer sitting at his left in the tonneau 
of the big official car. “ It cannot possibly be hos- 
tile troops.” 

“ Impossible, sir, yet I am unable to account for 
it,” responded the Frenchman. 

The column had now halted for its regular hourly 
rest period, and while the officers were still ponder- 
ing, another report came from the rear; that several 
347 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


aeroplanes had first passed close overhead going 
west ; soon their motors had been shut off and after 
a short period of silence had come the bursts of 
shots followed by the loud whirring of a single 
plane which seemed to rise out of the woods close 
by and had been seen in the moonlight as it flashed 
away to the eastward, while a scattering fire of 
pistol-shots had been heard simultaneous with its 
flight. 

“ Perhaps a German plane has been making a 
reconnaissance far from their own lines,” remarked 
the Frenchman, “ and being discovered by our air 
patrol was fired upon. That is the only solution I 
can offer.” 

Along the entire length of the column an intense 
silence now reigned, but nothing more was heard, 
and a few moments later the march was resumed. 

Just as Colonel Waverly was about to dismiss 
the matter from his mind he distinctly heard the 
muffled sound of more shots ahead and to the left 
of the road. A glimmer of lights was discerned 
through the trees. This certainly was becoming 
a little too much for the officer’s patience, so, dis- 
mounting from his car and ordering a section of the 
leading element to follow him, he ran through the 
woods to investigate for himself the meaning of all 
this extraordinary commotion in a known-to-be 
peaceful area. 


348 


U. S. MARINE 


Now he could plainly see the dark outline of the 
chateau rising from the clearing in the forest, and 
as he hurried on another volley of shots made him 
decide to approach the place cautiously. 



“ Form line of skirmishers, and then surround 
the building,” he directed; “ there’s some kind of a 
mess brewing here or else all my instincts are at 
fault.” 

The single lines of marines began now to draw 
in close about the chateau. The light from the open 

349 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

portal shone brightly, and crowded inside the door a 
number of men could be seen, but all so intensely 
interested in what was transpiring within the great 
hallway that before they were aware of their pres- 
ence the sea-soldiers, with their colonel in the lead, 
had rushed in upon them. 

“ Throw down your arms ! What’s the meaning 
of all this shooting? ” demanded the Colonel in a 
ringing voice. “Hold on, there!” he said, as he 
saw one or two of the men sidling toward the library 
door. “ Stand still, every man- J ack of you. Drop 
those weapons and hands up until I find the mean- 
ing of all this racket. Come, answer up someone 
of you,” and he gazed about at the group sternly, 
but no one seemed to desire to enlighten him. 

“ Well, speak up. Are you all dumb? ” he com- 
manded with growing irritability. “ Who are you, 
and what are you up to? ” 

“ All those men down there are German spies. 
Colonel Waverly.” 

The clear words in unmistakable American gave 
the Colonel a decided shock, coming as they did 
from directly over his head. 

“ And who in thunder are you? Come down 
from there, wherever you are,” he ordered gruffly. 

“We are two American officers, sir. Lieutenant 
Cabell, U. S. Marines, and Lieutenant Barry, U. S. 
Army,” answered the same voice, and with the 
350 


U. S. MARINE 


words Henry and Donald ran around the gallery 
and down the stairs with their hands up over their 
heads as they came. 

“ And I’m Dick Comstock, your old bunkie, 
Hank, and your old chum, Don Barry,” yelled a 
voice from behind the stairway and Dick, having 
finally succeeded in freeing himself of the wounded 
German’s clutching hands, now dashed out into the 
center of the hall followed by Frank Richards, and 
before the astonished Colonel and his men realized 
what was happening this new, tall, youthful actor 
in the play, dressed in civilian clothing and the two 
young men who claimed to be Americans but never- 
theless were attired in French Army uniforms, 
were having such a bear-hugging and war-whoop- 
ing that discipline for the moment was forgotten, 
and the entire episode bid fair to take on the aspect 
of a burlesque. 

Fortunately, Frank Richards standing in the 
background had his wits about him, and as one 
Colonel von Etten, alias Guillaume Tardieu, alias 
Sandeau, was about to slip through the door to the 
library which he had been stealthily opening dur- 
ing this unexpected turn of affairs, Frank quickly 
and quietly advanced, caught him by the collar and 
jerked him back into the hallway. 

The greeting Colonel Waverly gave the boys w^as 
hardly what might have been expected of such a 

351 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


strict disciplinarian, but what it lacked in official 
punctilio was never adversely criticised. . 

“ And now will someone of you kindly explain 
this opera houffe/' he finally said, taking Dick by 
the shoulders and shaking him in a friendly manner. 
“Who are Germans, who are French and who 
Americans? I must confess, I’m all at sea.” 

With a sudden crash Dick came back to earth 
and flagrantly ignoring his superior’s question he 
glanced around at the group of prisoners under 
guard of the marines, then spying von Etten, he 
strode up to him grimly. 

“ Where is my sister? Where is Miss Faure? 
Answer me ! ” he demanded, and his steely eyes 
seemed to burn their way into the other’s brain. 

“ I do not know. I cannot tell you. They were 
locked in that room at the head of the stairway, but 
— well, they are not there,” replied von Etten, sul- 
lenly. 

“ Here, here, young man. Not too fast,” came 
the Colonel’s voice in kindly tones, for he realized 
at once that here was something more personal than 
just war — some other problem needing solving, nor 
did he Iffie the look in Dick’s eyes as he stood before 
the dapper German; “ first off, I must understand 
this situation. Lieutenant Comstock. Come here 
at once, sir.” 

Reluctantly Dick turned to obey the summons 
352 



“Where Is My Sister? Where Is Miss Faure?” 




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V. S. MARINE 


which this time he knew there was no ignoring, bu^ 
he longed to smash his fist into the face of the man 
who had caused him so much worry and mental 
agony. 

As rapidly as possible he recited the events lead- 
ing up to the j)resent in so far as he knew them, and 
he was followed in turn b}’^ Henry, Donald and a 
more confidential talk from Frank Richards. 
Then a thorough search of the chateau, the out- 
buildings and those at the race-course was at once 
instituted. 

In the former prison room they came across the 
travelling-bags and suitcases, all carefully packed, 
belonging to the two girls, but nothing which would 
furnish enlightenment as to their present where- 
abouts. All questioning of the prisoners elicited 
nothing. Threats, promises, entreaties were alike 
unavailing and finally Colonel Waverly was con- 
vinced that von Etten and his men were as much 
in ignorance as they themselves. All that the 
former leader would say was that the last knovii 
of the girls was that they were locked in their room 
and that Frau Schumann had been temporarily 
placed in durance vile in the wine vaults. Frank 
Richards also questioned von Etten on his own ac- 
count in the library of the chateau and here for the 
first time the German saw the damage to the win- 
dow behind his desk and noted the books taken from 
353 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

the shelf where he had concealed the state docu- 
ments, but even in the face of this he would give 
no information and claimed entire ignorance of any 
such papers as Richards accused him of having in 
his possession. 

When the cellar was mentioned, Dick for the first 
time since his attack on the men at the head of the 
stairs remembered the man he had left in charge 
of little Pierre. 

“ I’ll bet the German in the cellar can tell us 
something,” he exclaimed, and followed by Plenry, 
Don and Frank, he hurried below to the vaults. 
Colonel Waverly gave orders for the troops to con- 
tinue their march to camp taking with them their 
prisoners, and then in company with his adjutant, 
he too descended the worn stone steps after leaving 
an adequate guard about the chateau and in charge 
of the captured aeroplanes at the race-course. As 
they reached the broken door they met the four 
Americans returning from a fruitless search. They 
had traversed the gloomy subterranean passage- 
way to the summer-house, they had delved into 
every nook and cranny of the cellars but not a trace 
of Pierre nor his prisoner had they found. 

I wonder if the German induced the boy to free 
him, and the two of them escaped from the chateau 
by the stairway leading to the scullery,” queried 
Frank. 


354 


t7. S. MARINE 


I don’t believe Pierre would do it,” answered 
Dick, positively. “ He was too much the real, little 
soldier man to desert his post of duty unless for 
some excellent reason or because he could not help 
himself. I am afraid the German has harmed him 
in some way. I am sorry we left the boy here alone 
with him.” 

“ Well, it is certain that he isn’t around these 
diggings anywhere. We have looked with our 
search-lights in every cobwebbed bin and under 
every hogshead of wine in the whole place and not 
a chance of his being concealed anywhere. It is 
certain they both have left the building some- 
how.” 

“ I’ll have patrols sent out at once,” said Colonel 
Waverly as they all emerged once more into the 
great hallway, “ though I doubt if we will discover 
anything of value until daylight. Cheer up, my 
boy,” he continued, as he saw the worried look on 
Dick’s face, “ cheer up. I’ll warrant we’ll find your 
sister and her friend yet, and none the worse for 
their unpleasant experience. Hello! what’s coming 
now? ” he exclaimed as the sound of rushing motors 
came through the open door. 

Left alone in the gloomy vaults with his prisoner, 
little Pierre at first felt a high sense of elation that 
such an important task should be entrusted to him. 

355 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

He too had heard the shots being fired in the upper 
part of the house and he was bursting with excite- 
ment and curiosity. Then came the thunderous re- 
ports of the pistols fired by Dick and Frank, a rush 
along the passage and after that nothing but 
muffled sounds from which he could gain no infor- 
mation. 

The candle on the table sputtered fitfully, giving 
promise of soon leaving him in total darkness. Now 
his hunger began gnawing amidships and with it 
came a growing fear in the little fellow’s mind. 
Once he glanced at his prisoner apprehensively and 
found Wilhelm’s eyes fixed on him menacingly. 
Pierre glanced about him and spying the iron bar 
which had been of so much help in forcing the way 
into the chateau he bent and grasped it eagerly, then 
bravely resumed his place near Wilhelm. 

“ Well, kiddie, we’ll be left in the dark in a min- 
ute or two,” said the German in a low tone, and 
this time when little Pierre looked at him there was 
a pleasant smile in place of the scowl, but the boy 
said nothing. 

“ It’ll be pretty lonesome down here in the dark,” 
came the voice again, as the candle gave another 
fitful sputter. “ I’d get you some candles if my 
hands were untied. I know where there’s a lot of 
them. Put them there myself. Perhaps you could 
get them, though.” 


356 


V. S. MARINE 


Pierre still kept silent but his eyes looked about 
in the gloom a bit fearfully. 

“ Come on^ son, you get them yourself and the 
matches too. They are in this box right behind 
me. See, I’ll squirm to one side and you can easily 
reach them.” 

Pierre now saw the box referred to and without 
a thought of danger he advanced. The next mo- 
ment he was bowled over by a blow in the stomach, 
and Wilhelm struggled to his feet and to the table, 
where, leaning backwards, he held his bound wrists 
over the last flames of the candle. 

In a second the dry linen bindings had burned 
and with a haste born of fear the man tore the bonds 
from his ankles and disappeared through the broken 
door. 

Surprise, fright and lack of wind had kept little 
Pierre quiet for the moment, for the force of Wil- 
helm’s bullet head butting into his small body was 
by no means easy to recover from at once, but as 
his erstwhile prisoner ran into the passageway the 
plucky lad scrambled to his feet and gave chase. 

Wilhelm turned in the opposite direction from 
that leading to the great hall and Pierre followed as 
best he could the sound of the man’s retreating foot- 
steps. Now he came to a narrow stairway which 
led to the scullery and as he reached the top he 
saw the German open an outer door and, crossing 
357 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


a stretch of moonlit lawn, crash into the blackness 
of the Foret Marin. 

Little Pierre dashed after in pursuit. He must 
redeem himself in the eyes of the two Americans 
because of his previous fears and carelessness, and 
now he was again on familiar ground. Many had 
been the times when in his games, both day and 
night, he had “ stalked the enemy ” through these 
same woods. He would yet be able to look the 
Yankees in the face unashamed. 

On the little fellow raced, following the sound of 
the crashing branches ahead as Wilhelm stumbled 
into bush and bough. For the first few hundred 
yards the lad had no difficulty in gaining on his 
quarry, but soon the man ahead was displaying 
greater caution and listen hard as he could the boy 
heard nothing more to guide him. However, he 
kept on in the general direction first taken, hoping 
against hope that by some lucky chance he might 
yet accomplish his desire. 

Again he stopped to listen, and this time he dis- 
tinctly heard a groan as of someone in pain and not 
six feet in advance. A stray moonbeam flashed 
through the tree-tops and there, lying on thejground 
and writhing about in apparent agony, was the 
figure of the man Pierre was seeking. 

With a rush the boy jumped forward and 
grasped the man by the throat with both hands and 
.358 


U. S. MARINE 

squeezed witK all his might. At last he had made 
good and the Americans could not say that a 
French boy had failed them. Yes, he would choke 
the fellow into insensibility, and tie him up, and 
then 

But now his fingers, seeking a better grip, be- 
came entangled in the long strands of a woman’s 
hair, and in horror, little Pierre sat down suddenly 
beside his victim, and his hands fell by his side inert. 

“Oh, help me! Help me!” The words were 
scarcely audible. 

“Who are you?” whispered the boy, but now 
another moonbeam lit up the tragic little scene and 
the boy found himself gazing into the features of 
the housekeeper who had been so kind to him, — 
Madame Ninon. 

“ Oh, madame, I am so sorry I choked you. Tell 
me what I can do? Hurry, madame, hurry! ” 

“ Run and get help. I shall bleed to death. I 
am shot. The machine-gun bullets — I could go no 
further 

“ Shall I go to the chateau? ” questioned Pierre, 
overcome with remorse and fear. 

“ No, no! They are all German spies there. Do 

not let the Germans get me — ^you must ” but 

she could say no more; she had fainted. 

And now Pierre heard the sound of many foot- 
steps in the woods near by. Men were coming to- 
359 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 

ward him. Who they were he did not know, but 
friend or enemy, this woman must have medical at- 
tention at once. 

‘‘ Help ! Help ! ” he shouted. “ Over here — 
come quickly,” and through the trees, their bayo- 
neted rifles at the charge, came a half dozen Amer- 
ican marines. 

“ Here, messieurs. This man is a woman. She 
is my friend. She is bleeding to death. She has 
been shot. Help me,” said the frantic boy. 

Fortunately one of the squad spoke enough to 
comprehend the rapid speech. By the hand torch 
which one of the men held, he applied first-aid to 
Madam’s wounded arm and shoulder. Then a 
rough litter was constructed, and soon the entire 
party was hurrying back in the direction of the 
chateau. 

Led by Pierre they soon emerged from the thick 
forest into the road already traversed by the regi- 
ment. As they neared the house, from behind them 
came the blinding glare of lights and the blare of 
motor horns. None too soon the little party 
stepped aside while two motor lorries crowded with 
soldiers swept past them, turned into the driveway 
leading to the chateau and with a screeching of 
brakes, stopped before the door. Then came a sud- 
den disrupting of officers and men from the great 
aviation field, with Gregory Mason limping bravely 
360 


V. S. MARINE 


at their head, and a crowd of well-armed members 
of the Paris Military Police. Into the hall they 
dashed, prepared for any kind of trouble, and it 
was here that Colonel Waverly met them. 

‘‘What!” exclaimed Gregory in astonishment, 
“ the American Marines here already? ” 

“ ‘ We’re always on the job,’ young man,” 
quoted the gray-haired colonel, “ but what is the 
meaning of this sudden invasion of armed men into 
the private residence of Count Marin, and what do 
you mean by pushing past my sentries in this man- 
ner? ” 

But once again the officer’s questions were being 
ignored, for Gregory now spied Donald Barry and 
Henry Cabell in the group standing behind the 
Colonel, and they wore long grins of satisfaction on 
their faces. “ I say, Don, have you got the spies? ” 
he questioned. 

“ Yes, Greg, we caught all hut one or two,” re- 
plied Donald, “ but pardon me. Colonel Waverly, 
this officer is the Captain Mason, of whom I told 
you, who returned to camp for help according to 
our plan — ^and, Greg, here is your old friend Frank 
Richards, also ‘ on the job,’ and likewise the man 
we’ve all been so anxious to meet on this side of the 
Atlantic, — ^none other than old Dick Comstock, 
himself.” 

“What! Dick Comstock here!” exclaimed 
361 


LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK 


Gregory, his eyes staring in unbelief. ‘‘ Excuse me 
one minute,” and turning he fairly flew through the 
doorway to return a moment later almost dragging 
two startled girls behind him into the hall, so great 
was his haste. ‘‘We picked up these reenforce- 
ments on the forest road,” he announced gleefully. 

There was a moment’s intense silence, and 
then 

“Ursula! Marie!” 

“Dick! Oh, Dickie-boy!” 

And before he knew how it happened both girls 
had their arms about him, weeping tears of joy on 
his shoulder, and talking and laughing all in a 
breath, while he answered question and query 
flung at him with the rapidity of a Browning auto- 
matic. 

Then came another party pushing its way into 
the hall. It was the litter bearers led by little 
Pierre, and as they placed their burden on the great 
flagstones, the figure dressed in a peasant’s smock 
opened her eyes and swept the faces of those gath- 
ered about. Finally they rested on the face of 
Frank Richards and with a glad look of recognition. 
Madam Ninon’s hand took a small packet of papers 
from the soiled breast pocket of her smock and held 
it out to Frank. 

“ For the sake of the peace of the world,” she said 
weakly, and then feeling her strength returning, 
362 


U. S. MARINE 


she added, with a wonderful smile on Eer mobile 
features , — “ Five les Etats Unis. Five la 
France ! " 


The Stories in this Series are: 

THE MARINES HAVE LANDED 
THE MARINES HAVE ADVANCED 
LIEUTENANT COMSTOCK, U. S. MARINE 
CAPTAIN DICK COMSTOCK, U. S. M. C. 

(in press) 


363 


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